Second Life: Binary Footprints

$25,000 Grant to Develop Courses in Virtual Worlds

2007-07-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

The Chronicle of Higher Education's Wired Campus Blog announced this grant by Blackboard.Blackboard Greenhouse ProgramNEW: We have created a special Greenhouse Program™ grant, The Greenhouse Grant for Virtual Worlds, to foster greater educational innovation with virtual worlds such as Active Worlds, There and Second Life. Blackboard is funding a single $25,000 (USD) grant for initiatives that

Good and bad reasons to be in Second Life

2007-07-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Is it worthwhile for a library to invest time and resources in a Second Life presence? I think it's still safe to say that the majority of librarians involved in the SL libraries are doing it on their own time. But what if you are trying to make a case for SL in your library that involves actual money?In her blog Librarians Matter, Kathryn Greenhill (Emerald Dumont in SL), a librarian at Murdoch

Virtual World Librarianship Courses in SL offered by University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

2007-07-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

New Virtual World Librarianship Courses/UIUC and Alliance Library SystemStarting in September the Alliance Library System and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are offering 2 six-week classes on virtual librarianship. There are 3 sections of each course, which will be held in Second Life at Info Island.The courses are:

Info Island this week

2007-07-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

July 14 - 22This week announces the opening of a new residential area; Mythica, which also is the home of the Griffin's Nest library that houses a collection of myths, legends and fairy tales.The Lawspot has an exhibit on court cases related to virtual worlds.Sunday July 22 - The Director of the Caledon Library, J.J. Drinkwater and Colonel Exrex Somme of the Caledon Militia will engage in a duel

Etiquette for Academia in SL

2007-07-15T09:31:00.001-07:00

The recent hullabaloo over the deletion of Woodbury Universities island by Linden Labs illustrated how necessary it is for an organization to publish and enforce a code of behavior for its members in Second Life. Penn State's Virtual Worlds Project has published its own SLEtiquette for Penn State. Besides listing SL's own community standards, it lists a guide to interacting with other avatars.

Learning in virtual worlds: Future or fad?

2007-07-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Educators now have several years of conducting classes in 3D virtual classrooms behind them and are beginning to publish more and more good material on this environment. One publication devoted to this environment is the journal eLearn Magazine. A recent feature articleAnother Life: Virtual Worlds as Tools for Learning discusses the special qualities of the avatarian experience in Second Life,

Michigan Library Consortium's Grand Opening in Second Life

2007-07-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

"MLC invites you to the grand opening of our new virtual building in the 3-D virtual reality, Second Life (Cybrary City II 167,51,21)! The celebration is on Thursday, July 12, 2007 from 4:00-6:00pm SL time (NOTE! That’s 7:00pm-9:00pm EDT). Please join us in Second Life for virtual music, dancing and refreshments!" (the rest)

Woodbury University Island Deleted by Linden Labs

2007-07-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Woodbury University's Second Life campus was vaporized. Not by mis-behaving Second Lifers, not by technical difficulties or incompetence, but by Linden Labs as a disciplinary action for Terms of Service (TOS) violations. In March Dr. Edward Clift paid Linden Labs for a six month lease and built Woodbury Island. In early April the region was suspended for 3 days for various abuses.

Library Journal: SLIS Program at San Jose prototyping virtual graduate school?

2007-06-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

San Jose SLIS Embraces Second LifeLast year SLIS San Jose received a grant from the Souros Foundation to purchase and create an information island in SL. Several of its classes now include labs in using Second Life.

Info Island this week

2007-06-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Alliance Second Life Libary one of six Sirsi-Dynix Building Better Communities Award at ALA Alliance Library System was one of 6 winners of Sirsi-Dynix's Building Better Communities award for its Second Life Library.Seminar: Self Esteem and Empowerment Seminar at Health Info Island.For all SL educators and helping professionalsJune 29, 1 & 3 PM PSTHealthInfo Island 130, 140, 22

Virtual Classrooms at Harvard

2007-06-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

I'm both intrigued by and skeptical about using SL as a virtual classroom. There are certainly a significant and growing number institutions holding classes partly or entirely in SL. Several of the Library and Information Science classes I have taken at Wayne have had a significant online component, using Blackboard, as well as synchronous and asynchronous broadcasts of lectures. While grateful

Indiana University's Synthetic World's Initiative

2007-06-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

Indiana University has a research center devoted to the study and development of virtual worlds; The Synthetic World’s Initiative. Their purpose is to “promote innovative thinking on synthetic worlds ". They hold bi-annual conferences (the “Ludium”) and are developing Arden, a virtual world based on the life and works of William Shakespeare. At the Ludium II Conference “Attendees were charged

Chronicle of Higher Education: Online communities changing online activism?

2007-06-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundation has given a $550,000 grant to the University of Southern California's Center on Public Diplomacy to "examine the role online communities can play in fostering real-world activism". (the rest)

Paper: Creating Museum Content and Community in Second Life

2007-05-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

This paper was presented at the conference "Museums and the Web 2007", and is a fascinating look at how one museum is using Second Life. San Francisco's Exploratorium has created "Splo", a virtual museum in Second Life. The paper details several of their exhibits that could only be done in Second Life. Creating Museum Content and Community in Second Life Robert J. Rothfarb and Paul Doherty,

U.S. Government Agencies use Second Life for Education and Outreach

2007-05-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

NASA, NOAA and the National Institute of Health already have established themselves in Second Life, and feature some impressive simulations. This article from News Blaze, describes how government agencies are using Second Life.U.S. Government Presence Grows in Second Life Online WorldAgencies use virtual reality environment for education, outreachSince early 2007, more than 6 million virtual

The Chronicle: Wired Campus Blog:

2007-05-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

The campus has been in construction for several months; now it is officially open. This posting from The Chronicle's Wired Campus Blog has a link to YouTube video that is one of the best short presentations I seen so far on what educators are doing in Second Life.San Jose State Library Celebrates Opening in Virtual WorldMay 11, 2007Never mind that the celebration will exist only digitally. San

Daruma Picnic at the Second Life Library Art Gallery

2007-04-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

Daruma Picnic’s first name comes from the Japanese dharma or wish dolls. His first work of art in Second Life was his own skin, a full body tattoo of his own drawing of a Daruma doll. Since I met him soon after he arrived, I’ve seen all the phases of his SL career so far: “Avatar”, “Architecture”, “Darumas”, “Imported Painting” (his shortest phase), “Floating Overlays”, “Click Color” and now “

Reference Services Review - Esther Grassian on Second Life

2007-03-27T08:10:00.000-07:00

Grassian, E., & Trueman, R. (2007). Stumbling, bumbling, teleporting and flying … librarian avatars in Second Life. Reference Services Review, 35(1), 84-89. Retrieved March 27, 2007, from http://proxy.lib.wayne.edu:2436/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/2400350106.html. This paper by Esther Grassian (UCLA) and Rhonda Trueman (Johnson & Wales) takes the

At NMC this week: EDUCAUSE Focus Session on Immersive Learning Environments

2007-03-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

This session is taking place in real life in Raleigh, North Carolina, and will be streamed into Second Life at the NMC Campus. If you can only catch one session, I'd recommend the 10:15 (1:15 EST) session with Sarah Robbins (Intellagirl).Tuesday 3/27 -11am to 12pm (SLT)Generation G and the 21st CenturyRichard Van Eyk (University of North Dakota)3/28 -5 to 5:45am (SLT)Cognition, Learning, and

Info Island this week

2007-03-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last week, Kitty Pope, Director of the Alliance Library System, announced that the ALA has given it the Information Today Inc. Library of the Future Award.Tuesday 3/27 -8am SLT (11 am EST) -NO-CONCEPT CLASS: BUILDINGat Eduisland 2Thursday3/29 -8am SLT: Info Island Tour by Jilliana Susei - meet at the Welcome Area6pm SLTDiscussion: Catch the Librarian BuzzDiscussion of services and programs for

American Libraries Online: Internet Librarian says Second Life needs libraries

2007-03-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

Joseph Janes suggests that librarians should be involved not just in collecting, organizing and cataloging objects in SL, but also "part of the conversation about what those objects are and do and ought to be."Like everyplace else, Second Life needs librariesBy Joseph JanesAmerican Libraries Columnist

Information Week Article: A look at the technology

2007-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

This article describes what happens under the hood, as well as how Linden Lab is planning to handle hundreds of times the traffic.Inside Second Life's Data Centers As Second Life strains to keep up with recent popularity, InformationWeek looks at the real-world technology foundations of the make-believe world, and developer Linden Lab's plans to stay on top of growth. Mitch Wagner

Lansing State Journal article on Second Life

2007-03-08T06:17:00.000-08:00

My own home town paper did a nice article on Second Life today that mentions the Michigan Library Consortium among local users and entrepreneurs. And, refreshingly, not one mention of SL porn, Anshe Chung, or Prokofy Neva.Second Life bring virtual, real life togetherBarbara WielandMarch 8, 2007

IT Week article: David Tebbutt, Information World Review

2007-03-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

This article has several paragraphs on the Second Life library."Is Second Life a brave new world? A playground for geeks but an irrelevance for information professionals? You couldn't be more wrong about Second Life. David Tebbut explains the very real benefits of virtual reality."05 Mar 2007

Having a Voice in Second Life

2007-03-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

Last week Linden Lab announced the beta release of their new voice technology. Not that voice communication wasn't possible already; last month I experimented with Skype and blogged about it (Voicing Concerns in Second Life). Beta testing is starting this week, with an official launch to start sometime in the second quarter. Text based communication will still be an option, and avatars who choose

Info Island this week – March 5, 2007

2007-03-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

March 9, 6:30 PM SLT – The Caledon branch library co-sponsors an evening of story-telling at The Falling Anvil Public House in Caledon Tammrannoch. The theme is Tales of Love. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Tamrannoch/233/113/23/ March 11, 2 PM SLT – Caledon branch library book discussion for the month of March is the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%

Purpose, community and virtual reality

2007-03-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

Events in my own life and community this week have submerged me into a time of mourning and reflection. A long-time friend, Robert Busby was murdered last week. The impact of his death ripples far beyond the loss to his family and close friends. He worked for nearly 30 years to realize his dream of creating a center for culture and arts in Lansing’s Old Town district. When he bought his first

The cost of a campus in Second Life

2007-02-28T04:31:00.000-08:00

This article from the Campus Technology describes Ohio Universities campus."Ohio University is the first university in Ohio and one of just a few universities in the United States, including Harvard and Princeton, who have launched functioning campuses in Second Life."If you are investigating education in Second Life, you can make this part of your tour, as it is open to visitors.The complete

Megan Conklin's 101 Uses for Second Life in the College Classroom

2007-02-28T04:14:00.000-08:00

Megan Conklin is one of the original evangelists for using Second Life as an education tool. She has just published an updated version of her paper "101 Uses for Second Life in the College Classroom". Megan works at Elon University in the department of computing sciences, and blogs regularly at her megan@elon blog about technology and education.

Teen Second Life at Risk

2007-02-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

Deleting Online Predators Act reappears for 2007Jacqui Chengars technica.comLast year, we reported on the progression of the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) of 2006—a bill that would restrict the use of social networking sites and chat rooms from being used in schools in libraries. That bill ultimately got passed by the US House of Representatives in July with flying

Second Life Library - Mystery discussion series

2007-02-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

The Mystery Manor on Info Island is hosting a new book discussion series:Waiting for the other gumshoe to dropThe discussions will take place on the last Wednesday of every month at 6 PM PST at Mystery Manor . Ross Macdonald's "The Far Side of the Dollar" will be the discussion subject on Wed. Feb. 28. (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island/1/90/79)

Sunday walks in Second Life

2007-02-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a fine day for a walk in SL. Both New Media Consortium (NMC) and the Second Life Library revealed new islands that expand their complexes; Imagination Island, built by members of the SL library, and several new islands in the NMC complex. The NMConnect event mentioned in earlier posts is the first time these islands have been made public.If you are looking for a beautiful, tranquil and

Information Today - Librarians on Second Life

2007-02-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Feb 2007.Vol. 24, Iss. 2Focus on Publishing Librarians on Second Life Robin Peek delves into the virtual worlds that test the limits of online gaming.This is yet another half-baked article on Second Life. Ms. Peek states that "very few are coming; it is similar to

NMConnect Media Arts Symposium Schedule

2007-02-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

The NMConnect Wiki has the schedule of events which start tomorrow (Sun. 2/11) at 10 AM PST (1 PM EST) and include discussions, live music and an improvisational build.

NMC Campus Observer - Visual Arts Symposium , Digital Story Telling

2007-02-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

The most recent postings in the NMC Campus Observer cover two events, one past, and one future. I have made regular visits to the NMC Campus since my arrival in SL but never found anything going on. It looks like another large and lovingly rendered build not being put to use. The quiet is deceptive.The upcoming Visual Arts Symposium, NMCConnect, will feature "artists, educators, designers and

Second Life Librarian Lori Bell at MLC Conference 2/15/07

2007-02-09T06:28:00.000-08:00

Michigan Library Consortium will hold the third session of its series The Library Rebooted; RUA nOOB? Bridging the Gap Between Boomers and GamersLori Bell will speak about Second Life. She is Director of Innovation at the Alliance Library System started the Second Life Library, which has grown from a rented space in April 2006, to 8 islands now, with 4000 visitors a day, and 300 volunteers.The

CNET News - Universities see Second Life as a solution to classroom crowding

2007-02-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

This article seems particularly relevant in light of an email exchange on Wayne's LISPINF in the last 24 hours. A student asks "Is Library Admin ever offered as a web centric or all online class? Or are there plans for this class to be offered in this format in the future?"Dr. Mika who teaches the course and is the head of our program replies that it will not, because interaction is an important

Lecture in SL by Dr. Gary Marchionini Feb. 16, 2007

2007-02-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

On Friday, February 16 at 9 PM PST Dr. Gary Marchionini (aka Gary Octagon) will present the lecture "Toward Multimedia Surrogation" at the Amphiteater at Talis Cybrary City (Cybrary City (128, 131, 26)Wayne State readers, his PhD is from Wayne.

School Library Journal on Teen Second Life

2007-02-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

Meet the New YouBy Kelly Czarnecki and Matt Gullett -- 1/1/2007 In Teen Second Life, librarians can leap tall buildings in a single bound and save kids from boring assignments—all before lunch.

Accidental Learning at Global Kids Island

2007-02-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports the Global Kids Digital Media Youth Initiative, "a series of interrelated programs designed to support teenagers to think critically about the role of digital media in their lives and document their experiences in various media". A major piece of this initiative is Global Kids Island. Their programs are designed to promote awareness of

MIT Technology Review: Second Life, Darwin and God

2007-02-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

Second Life, Darwin and GodIs this new virtual world a product of creationism or evolution?Thursday, February 01, 2007While this article speculates about the "virtual evolution" of SL, there are residents who have made evolution models in SL. The island of Svarga is an entire ecosystem. Surina Skallagcrimson modeled Darwinian evolution with her virtual fish. And "In the Terminus area of Second

Qualities of Online Environments

2007-02-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

Sarah Robbins is a rhetoric and composition PhD candidate at Ball State University. Her interests and research are on using online tools for teaching. Her blog Second Life Education Research, where she is known as Intellagirl is both thoughtful and based on real experience and research. In this posting she shares ideas from a book chapter she is writing, "CVE, MUVE, MMOE, MMORPG…What’s the

The World of Virtual Politics - Nancy Pelosi Wants a Second Life Too!

2007-02-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

When I try to explain Second Life to those who haven't experienced it, reactions include interest, incredulity, concern and maybe even a bit of ridicule. But that is nothing compared to what Rep. George Miller must have experienced when Nancy Pelosi asked him to explain it to the Democratic house leadership! Evidently she is enthusiastic enough to have an account, but hasn't tried it yet. Today's

Second Life in a Crystal Ball

2007-02-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

MIT Media lab uses a crystal ball not only as a metaphor but as a medium to explore Second Life at their SIGGRAPH Gallery. Be sure to scroll to the bottom to find the video.SousrealityArtist's statement“Sousreality” is a pair of connected spaces linked through the metaphor of a crystal ball. In the SIGGRAPH gallery is a crystal ball that peers into Second Life, and in Second Life there is a

Voicing Concerns in Second Life

2007-02-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

When you want to talk to another avatar in SL, you are probably going to do it either through chat, or instant messaging. If you choose chat, any avatar within range will see it, and can respond. If you choose IM, you can pick any avatar and send a message directly to them, whether they are standing next to you, or in a different area. If they are not online the message will be stored and

Information Week - Second Life Lessons: Cisco, IBM Pace Corporate Push into Virtual Worlds

2007-02-05T06:48:00.000-08:00

Companies as varied as Toyota, Dell, Sears, and Adidas have all established bulkheads in the 3-D virtual world called "Second Life." Is this influx of brands an exciting precursor of how we'll be conducting business very soon, or the ultimate exercise in corporate flat-footedness?By Alice LaPlanteInformationWeekFeb 3, 2007 12:01 AMThe rest of the article here.

Second Life Library this week (2/5 - 2/11/2007)

2007-02-05T06:19:00.000-08:00

Sci Fi and Fantasy Gallery - activities for the month of February focused around the Talis Science Fiction portal on InfoIsland, include planning meetings, discussions and displays.Genealogy Research Center - African American Genealogical Research Exhibit - the Genealogy Library this month features an exhibit on resources for the genealogist.Book Signing at Open Air Auditorium - Author Al Perrin

Architecture in Second Life

2007-02-05T05:41:00.000-08:00

Since one of the major activities in SL is building, it is no surprise that architects would find uses for a tool that lets them build 3D models of their ideas and projects. An architect can model the terrain, build the building, and furnish it. Once built an avatar can freely enter, explore and view the building outside or in. What a great way to show a proposal to a professor, customer or

Information Island Archipelago Keeps Growing

2007-02-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

InfoIsland.org announces the addition of three new islands; Cybrary City 2, Arts Island, and Imagination Island. The islands will open when construction is done.New Islands

Article by Second Life Librarians in January issue of Computers in Libraries

2007-02-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Although Second Life has been receiving lots of attention in the popular press, and although there seem to be an endless supply of blogs, podcasts and other web-based articles about SL in libraries and education, until recently there has been almost nothing about Second Life in library publications. So the article "Get a (Second) Life! Prospecting for Gold in a 3-D World" in the January 2007

Second Life Continues to Draw Educators

2007-02-02T05:55:00.000-08:00

The following article is from a publication called eSchool News online. It's a good overview of what's happening with education in SL. Second Life' develops education following Virtual world being used by some educators and youth groups for teaching, socializationBy Justin Appel, Assistant EditorJanuary 1, 2007—An online virtual world that has become one of the web's most popular activities is

Language School to Open in SL

2007-02-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

SLNN.comby Zarachnia WilderJanuary 29, 2007 A new venue for learning languages online is settling into Second Life. Languagelab.com, currently operating 12 private sims, is testing the system in beta. The firm plans to offer students audiovisual components and direct interaction with teachers and other students in social environments such as restaurants, museums and a bus depot. (the

New Media Consortium's Second Life Campus

2007-01-29T13:07:00.000-08:00

Wayne State is a member of the New Media Consortium (NMC). “The New Media Consortium (NMC) is an international 501(c)3 not-for-profit consortium of nearly 200 leading colleges, universities, museums, corporations, and other learning-focused organizations dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies.” NMC is also a major player in the education movement in Second

Second Life Librarian Lori Bell (aka Lorelei Junot) at MLC 2/15/07

2007-01-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

Library Graduate Students in SL - Discussion on Conducting Research in SL

2007-01-26T17:32:00.000-08:00

At our last meeting (Jan. 18) we met at the Info Island II – Science Center. This week the topic of discussion was on conducting research in Second Life. Because Linden Labs announced the previous week that they no longer require researchers to get permission to conduct research, one hurdle at least, has been removed. Uskala from UNC was in the middle of his IRB (Institutional Review Board)

ALA Midwinter Podcast about Second Life

2007-01-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

Mark Bard, Information Technology Specialist, ALA Office for Information Technology PolicyBarbara Galik, President, Board of Directors, Alliance Library SystemKitty Pope, Executive Director, Alliance Library SystemLori Bell, Director of Innovation, Alliance Library System SubjectIn the hustle and bustle of Midwinter, Mark Bard sat down with Barbara Galik, Kitty Pope, and Lori Bell to discuss the

The Chronicle of Higher Education Wired Campus Blog

2007-01-25T03:01:00.000-08:00

This is a good resource for those of us who are interested in academic librarianship.The Wired CampusEducation-technology news from around the webArticles this week:Wikipedia Blocks a Pay-for-Play SchemeCIA Uses Facebook as a Recruiting ToolOne Small Step for CitizendiumWanted: Librarian. Book Lovers Need Not Apply

Second Life Library this week

2007-01-22T04:10:00.000-08:00

Mon Jan 22 - Training: Establishing an Educational Presence in Second Life / Teen Second LifeTue Jan 23 - Training: Life Confidence and Potential MaximizationWed Jan 24 - Genealogy Center on InfoIsland II - Presentation: Researching Revolutionary War RecordsThurs Jan 25 - Training: Establishing an Educational Presence in Second Life / Teen Second LifeFri Jan 26 - 28 InfoIsland II - Exhibit and

Sirsi Dynix and Alliance Library System form Second Life Partnership

2007-01-21T04:20:00.000-08:00

Sirsi Dynix Sponsors Alliance Library Second Life Library and Teen second Life libraryJanuary 20th, 2007 SirsiDynix Sponsors Alliance Library System’s Second Life Library 2.0SirsiDynix will fund the two main islands in the Info Island project on Second LifeSEATTLE, Jan. 19, 2007 – SirsiDynix, the global leader in strategic technology solutions for libraries bringing knowledge to people and

Topeka Shawnee County Library Opens a Branch in Second Life

2007-01-21T03:07:00.000-08:00

Library embraces online virtual community as tool for reaching local teens By Taylor AtkinsPublished Tuesday, January 16, 2007The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library no longer has just one branch.The organization has opened up a new location at the coordinates 24, 157, 24 in Cybrary City, a growing community for libraries in Second Life, an online virtual world. (the rest)This library is not

But Auntie What Does One DO in Second Life?

2007-01-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

I keep in sporadic touch with my nephew, a freshman at Stanford, in Facebook. A few weeks ago I dropped a note that referenced my activities in Second Life and he asked “what does one do?” Good question, because once you get past Orientation and Help Islands, there’s no obvious path to follow. No one presents you with a quest to gain experience points or weapons of

InfoWorld - AOL Establishing a Second Life Presence

2007-01-20T05:34:00.000-08:00

AOL to open up shop in Second Life Company joins IBM, Dell, and others in promoting itself within Second Life's virtual world By Juan Carlos Perez, IDG News ServiceJanuary 19, 2007"AOL is getting ready to set up an area in Second Life, another in a string of big-name companies establishing a presence in this popular 3D virtual world. The company's Second Life

Worship a Librarian Today! Librarian Avengers

2007-01-20T04:55:00.000-08:00

As a librarian wanna-bee, I found this empowering bit of manifesto this morning at the blog Librarian Avengers.Why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian"Ok, sure. We’ve all got our little preconceived notions about who librarians are and what they do. Many people think of librarians as diminutive civil servants, scuttling about "Sssh-ing" people and stamping things. Well, think

First Monday - U. of IL at Chicago Library's Internet Journal

2007-01-18T16:07:00.000-08:00

This journal looks like an excellent resource for digital librarians."First Monday is one of the first openly accessible, peer–reviewed journals on the Internet, solely devoted to the Internet. Since its start in May 1996, First Monday has published 775 papers in 129 issues; these papers were written by 917 different authors. In addition, seven special issues have appeared. " The IdeaI found it

From the Jessie Wars to The Electric Sheep and Anshe Chung: The Dawn of the Metaverse and the Rise of the Web 3.D Development Companies"

2007-01-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks to beanbear@umich, who sent me this notice:STIET Seminar:"From the Jessie Wars to The Electric Sheep and Anshe Chung: The Dawn of the Metaverse and the Rise of the Web 3.D Development Companies"4:00 PM-5:30 PMThursday, January 18, 20071202 SI North(University of Michigan campus, Ann Arbor)Peter Ludlow, professor of philosophy and linguistics at U-M, will speak on his involvement with the

The Shifted Librarian - Second Life at ALA's Mid-Winter meeting

2007-01-14T05:02:00.000-08:00

The Shifted Librarian blog has a number of posts relating to Second Life. The most recent is titled ALA's Second Life. The blog's author Jenny Levine posts that she has been asked to do an SL demonstration at ALA's Mid-Winter meeting.

Review: MySpace is Your Library’s Space: Reference, Programing and Promotion

2007-01-13T07:45:00.000-08:00

Michigan Library Consortium hosted this presentation by Angela Semifero from the Marshall District Library. It was their first event held in Second Life, and was a success in many ways. The presentation was substantial and interesting, it was well attended (around 50), and it went without a hitch. No intrusions, a polite and interested audience, and few technical issues.I attended with 2 goals;

Second Life Drops Research Permission Requirement

2007-01-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

Last week, Linden Labs dropped its requirement that researchers get permission before conducting research in world. In the course of looking for information on this topic, I found this paper from the Association of Internet Researchers, "AoIR Ethics Guide"Ethical decision-making and Internet research.It looks like a good resource, perhaps a starting point for the "Library Graduate Students in SL"

Papers on Education in Second Life

2007-01-13T07:06:00.000-08:00

Proceedings of the Second Life Education Workshop at the Second Life Community ConventionSan FranciscoAugust 20th, 2006If your question is "What are educators doing in Second Life", you'll find plenty of meat here. Participants include Linden Lab (the company that has created SL), New Media Consortium, and educators from numerous universities. The articles certainly contain ideas that would be of

The 18th Annual National Service- Learning Conference webcasts in Second Life

2007-01-10T03:41:00.000-08:00

The 18th Annual National Service- Learning Conference, March 28-31, 2007Jane Goodall and Jackie Joyner-Kersee Join The 18th Annual National Service- Learning Conference, March 28-31, 2007, Albuquerque, New MexicoST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This March,Albuquerque, New Mexico, plays host to The 18th Annual Service-LearningConference: Beyond Borders, Beyond Boundaries -- the

Silly Symphony - The Skeleton Dance

2007-01-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Skeleton DanceOk, this has nothing to do with anything, other then that I love old cartoons. Take a break, and have a laugh.

New York Times article about education in Second Life

2007-01-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Distance LearningChristiane LagorioJanuary 7, 2007This article lists a few of the educators and institutions who are currently teaching their students in SL, like Pepperdine, and N.Y.U. It also includes some nice slides.The article perpetuates the incorrect statement that SL has 2,000,000 users. It doesn't, over 2,000,000 have created accounts since SL began in 2004. Nearly 900,000

One Minute from the Future -- January 1, 2009

2007-01-06T15:28:00.001-08:00

Future journalist J.D. Langston posts his report of the Virtual University of Science and Arts and the first semester of fully accredited courses on their campus inside of Second Life. This is the first in a five-part series. For show notes and additional information visit kzmcradio.com.The Virtual University of Science and Arts doesn't really exist (yet), but the feedback of the hypothetical

A New Baby Blog is Born

2007-01-05T16:00:00.000-08:00

The title says it all.