Chicago Public Schools Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries Department of Libraries

in Second Lifein Second Life

What Is Second Life? What Is Second Life?

• Second Life (SL) is a multi-Second Life (SL) is a multi-user virtual environment in user virtual environment in which persons create avatars which persons create avatars to allow them to move and to allow them to move and interact with other avatars. interact with other avatars. They can build and manipulate They can build and manipulate objects. To move, they can objects. To move, they can walk, run, fly, or teleport. walk, run, fly, or teleport. There are many areas within There are many areas within SL to allow people to meet, SL to allow people to meet, learn, talk, and roleplay. learn, talk, and roleplay.

David Loertscher leads a learning community discussion about the school library as a learning commons

• Second Life’s main grid is for persons 18 years Second Life’s main grid is for persons 18 years or older. It is or older. It is notnot intended for use with students. intended for use with students. Educators use SL to participate in virtual college Educators use SL to participate in virtual college courses, to attend professional development and courses, to attend professional development and meetings, to interact with colleagues, and to meetings, to interact with colleagues, and to identify real-world resources. Corporations use identify real-world resources. Corporations use SL for virtual meetings and employee training. SL for virtual meetings and employee training. SL has in-world special interest groups, SL has in-world special interest groups, professional organizations, support groups, professional organizations, support groups, concerts, museums, libraries, and entertainment concerts, museums, libraries, and entertainment establishments. establishments.

Who has time for a Who has time for a second life? second life?

Most educators can gain significant benefits from SL by just learning some navigation basics and by joining some key groups.

SL blends with other web 2.0 technologiesSL blends with other web 2.0 technologies

• Blogs, wikis, Twitter, Flickr, You Tube, Blogs, wikis, Twitter, Flickr, You Tube, Facebook….all are in SL.Facebook….all are in SL.

CPS Dept of CPS Dept of Libraries in SLLibraries in SL

• Provide a forum for collaborationProvide a forum for collaboration• Extend our professional learning Extend our professional learning

communitiescommunities• Provide access for librarians & Provide access for librarians &

teachers to additional educational teachers to additional educational resourcesresources

• Provide a virtual learning Provide a virtual learning environment for meetings and environment for meetings and eventsevents– $25,000 grant from Illinois State $25,000 grant from Illinois State

LibraryLibrary

Reference DeskReference Desk

Chicago Museums DisplayChicago Museums Display

General Educator InfoGeneral Educator Info

Collaboration StationCollaboration Station

CPS Databases, Links, & MoreCPS Databases, Links, & More

School OfficesSchool Offices

Whitney Young HS OfficeWhitney Young HS Office

Univ of Chicago CUIPUniv of Chicago CUIP

Chicago State UniversityChicago State University

Lakefront AuditoriumLakefront Auditorium

Singing SculptureSinging Sculpture

National – Louis UniversityNational – Louis University

Audio Book GardenAudio Book Garden

CILC OfficeCILC Office

Golden Apple FoundationGolden Apple Foundation

Sepia’s Blues LoungeSepia’s Blues Lounge

Canoe the Chicago RiverCanoe the Chicago River

CPS Second Life BlogCPS Second Life Blog

http://blogs.cuip.net/dlis

Info Island Sim

Second Life Library – Alliance Library System

Library Events in SLLibrary Events in SL• Author visitsAuthor visits• Book discussionsBook discussions• Special programsSpecial programs• Planning meetingsPlanning meetings• Training workshopsTraining workshops

• Special exhibitsSpecial exhibits• Grand openingsGrand openings• PartiesParties• Special committeesSpecial committees

ALA VCL-MIG Planning Meeting

ISTE in SLISTE in SL

• ISTE Headquarters – ISTE has four sims in SLISTE Headquarters – ISTE has four sims in SL

Sample of Other Libraries in SLSample of Other Libraries in SL• South Carolina State South Carolina State

LibraryLibrary• Georgia Institute of Georgia Institute of

TechnologyTechnology• IBM LibraryIBM Library• Nebraska Library Nebraska Library

CommissionCommission• University of South University of South

FloridaFlorida• Johnson & Wales Johnson & Wales

UniversityUniversity

• Canada NexusCanada Nexus• UCLAUCLA• Australian LibrariesAustralian Libraries• University of Illinois at University of Illinois at

Urbana-ChampaignUrbana-Champaign• State Library of KansasState Library of Kansas• Michigan Library Michigan Library

ConsortiumConsortium• Find It Illinois!Find It Illinois!• Art LibrariesArt Libraries

Author VisitsAuthor Visits

Jack Gantos on the Teen Grid

Chris Crutcher, during Banned Book Week, on the main grid.

Future of Second Life & MUVEs for LibrariesFuture of Second Life & MUVEs for Libraries

• Reference services evolveReference services evolve• Archival of Second LifeArchival of Second Life• Integrated OPACIntegrated OPAC• In-world web searchesIn-world web searches• Incorporate audioIncorporate audio• More in-world training, events, and displaysMore in-world training, events, and displays• Multiple virtual universes with transport between Multiple virtual universes with transport between

them and accessed via search enginesthem and accessed via search engines

AASL & SIGMS Learning CommunityAASL & SIGMS Learning Community

• A virtual learning A virtual learning community of community of school librarians school librarians who meet monthly who meet monthly to discuss to discuss professional issues professional issues and topics.and topics.

Our tweens & teens come to socialize and game

Everyone creates content…Virtual worlds are the future of the Internet, they are where are students are, and where we need to be. Let’s start with PD.

Learning Community Format

• Monthly drop-in orientation meetings to learn basics of SL

• Monthly learning community meetings featuring guest facilitators who are recognized leaders in school librarianship– One hour, 15 – 20 min lecture

followed by group discussion– Occasional book raffles

Marla McGee and Barb Jansen speak about “Forging Powerful Partnerships for Student Success”

Joyce Valenza – Web 2.0 for Librarians

David Loertscher – “The New Learning Commons – Where People Win”

David Warlick – “Cultivating a Personal

Learning Network”

Mike Eisenburg – “The Crisis Facing School Libraries and Librarians”

Will Richardson – “Googled Well: Helping Our Kids Lead Transparent Lives”

Marla McGhee & Barbara Jansen – “Keeping School Libraries Relevant in the Age of Accountability”

Monthly Orientation to SL – Next meeting on Wed, Sept 2 at 8pm ET/5pm PT•Monthly Learning Community Meetings in SL – Next meeting on Sept, 9 at 8pm ET/5pm PT – Guest facilitator, Doug Johnson – “Are You an Information Bigot?”•Oct: Alan November•Nov: Pam Berger

• Four strands of PD – Webconferencing, Second Life, videoconferencing, online article discussions

• Special interest groups in National Teacher Board Certification & International Librarianship

• Encourage your district’s librarians to get involved & become a Power Connector

What’s Next for SIGMS

Thanks for listening!