scholarly journals Librarianship Presence in Virtual Worlds

2011 ◽  
pp. 384-399
Author(s):  
Jenny Baum ◽  
Kate Lyons
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Media And Technology

Librarianship has stereotypically been about books, communities, and the connection between the two. With the emergence of new media and technology, the concept of books has expanded to include information of all types and in multiple formats: eBooks, DVDs, videogames, electronic databases, et cetera. Meanwhile, the idea of community has stayed the same. For example, public libraries primarily serve communities defined by geographic lines; academic libraries serve their campus communities. In non-profit, medical or corporate libraries, communities are defined by their organization’s particular mission. However, now that virtual worlds are becoming mainstream, librarians are redefining community, just as they redefined books. With the emergence of virtual worlds, librarians are encountering virtual patrons, and communities defined by virtual lines that defy physical boundaries. This chapter discusses the librarians and organizations that are moving librarianship into virtual communities, as well as the first library initiatives in online worlds.

Past

2019 ◽  
pp. 221-260
Author(s):  
Renee Hobbs ◽  
Liz Deslauriers ◽  
Pam Steager
Keyword(s):  
Visual Culture ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Educational Film ◽  
Film And Television ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
The Times ◽  
Media And Technology

The use of film in public libraries has a long history nearly as old as the medium itself—a past we must consider in order to help us better imagine the future of film and media in school, public, and academic libraries. Libraries constantly reinvent themselves to align with the times. Amid ever-rapid changes in media and technology, looking to the past offers steadying perspective. During the 20th century, as television and film rose in popularity and significance, librarians and educators gradually adapted to society’s shift from a print to a visual culture and recognized that audiovisual media, including radio, film, and television, could promote learning. In the early 1900s, film programs were already being used to promote the library as well as generate interest in books. Public libraries were also experiencing reform as they shifted from primarily serving academics to catering to the needs and interests of the general public. During the same time, debate over the positive and negative influence of the moving image and effects of screens was already underway. Gradually over decades, movies have found their place in library collections, from the documentary-style educational film to blockbusters on VHS tape. And as the popular format for film and media shifts to digital, librarians are faced with the tasks of preservation and digitization of physical collections.

scholarly journals Towards a virtual doctor-patient relationship: Understanding virtual patients.

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Gamboa González
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Virtual Patients ◽  
Medical Authority ◽  
Virtual Spaces ◽  
Health Experiences

The use of online virtual communities to deliver health information has grown with the creation of 3D online virtual worlds such as Second Life. The existence of virtual spaces offers the opportunity to use new media and spaces of social interaction, participation and collaboration to deliver realistic and vivid health experiences. While the potential seems great, in practice, there are significant limitations in using virtual online communities to deliver health information. First, these virtual worlds are fantasy spaces where people escape the limitations of their bodies to engage in social interactions. Second, virtual worlds lack the cues that usually signal medical authority, making virtual residents skeptical about health information and advice obtained in Second Life.

scholarly journals A Survey of Graphic Novel Collection and Use in American Public Libraries

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Francis Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
New Media ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Adult Literacy ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Graphic Novels ◽  
Comic Book ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Similar Data ◽  
Marketing Tool

Abstract Objective – The objective of this study was to survey American public libraries about their collection and use of graphic novels and compare their use to similar data collected about video games. Methods – Public libraries were identified and contacted electronically for participation through an open US government database of public library systems. The libraries contacted were asked to participate voluntarily. Results – The results indicated that both graphic novels and video games have become a common part of library collections, and both media can have high levels of impact on circulation. Results indicated that while almost all libraries surveyed had some graphic novels in their collections, those serving larger populations were much more likely to use graphic novels in patron outreach. Similarly, video game collection was also more commonly found in libraries serving larger populations. Results also showed that young readers were the primary users of graphic novels. Conclusion – Responses provided a clear indicator that graphic novels are a near-ubiquitous part of public libraries today. The results on readership bolster the concept of graphic novels as a gateway to adult literacy. The results also highlight differences between larger and smaller libraries in terms of resource allocations towards new media. The patron demographics associated with comics show that library cooperation could be a potential marketing tool for comic book companies.

scholarly journals Kids in the Library

2021 ◽  
pp. 181-193
Author(s):  
Rachel W. Gammons ◽  
Karina Kletscher ◽  
Kelsey Elizabeth. Corlett-Rivera
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Family Study ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
University Of Maryland ◽  
Family Friendly ◽  
The University ◽  
Is Value

While children's services are traditionally associated with public libraries, the increase in students with dependent children means that academic libraries are increasingly being called to provide family-friendly spaces. Using the University of Maryland Libraries as a case study, the authors detail the process of developing, implementing, and overseeing family-friendly services, including a family study room and activity kits for children. They argue there is value in welcoming families into the academy and projects, such as a family study room, worthy not only for the contributions they make to the community but also for the opportunity to enact joy in our daily practice as academic librarians.

Advocacy of the Sustainable Development Goals in Jordanian academic libraries

IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110383
Author(s):  
Faten Hamad ◽  
Maha Al-Fadel
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
The Public ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Study Support

In view of the increased importance of the Sustainable Development Goals and the limited number of public libraries in Jordan, it is important to investigate the role and practices of academic libraries in promoting knowledge and skills to support the Sustainable Development Goals in Jordan. It is also important to explore the challenges that might hinder the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The results of this study support the fact that academic libraries can significantly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals ( M = 3.53) by providing access to relevant and up-to-date information ( M = 4.16) and giving training on information literacy ( M = 4.03). Access to information contributes to the quality of life of society ( M = 4.41). This article provides insights for academic librarians and decision-makers into disseminating measures for promoting knowledge and skills related to the Sustainable Development Goals among students and the public community in Jordan. The study recommends some relevant strategies, such as the collaboration of academic libraries with governmental and health institutions to support the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Jordan.

Video Game-Based L2 Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 216-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Hesham Shaker Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Digital Games ◽  
Digital Gaming ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Affinity Spaces ◽  
L2 Learning ◽  
L2 Vocabulary

Video/digital games have grown into sophisticated, realistic, and engaging problem-solving virtual worlds that have their own literacy practices, affinity spaces, and online virtual communities. As a result, various studies have examined theirs to promote L2 learning and literacy. The findings of these studies suggest that digital games can promote multilingual communication, L2 vocabulary development, and situated L2 use. However, promising these findings, to-date little is known about the specific dynamics of gameplay that can facilitate L2 learning. To address this gap in the literature, this chapter will draw on interdisciplinary research on digital gaming from literacy studies, games' studies, and narratology to account for the L2 learning potentials of digital games. To explain their L2 learning potentials, the chapter will conceptualize digital games as dynamic texts, affinity spaces, and semiotic ecologies, and discuss the implications of each conceptualization for game-based L2 learning and teaching.

Methods for the Measurement and Visualization of Social Networks in Multi-User Virtual Worlds

2011 ◽  
pp. 530-541
Author(s):  
Devan Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Communicative Interaction ◽  
Internet Relay Chat ◽  
Cornell University ◽  
Methodological Procedures

Virtual communities that allow many users to interact in a virtual world, often called multi-user virtual worlds (MUVWs), allow users to explore and navigate the virtual world as well as interact with other users. The communicative interaction within these virtual worlds is often text-based using Internet relay chat (IRC) and related systems. IRC has posed a difficulty for researchers looking to evaluate the interaction by analyzing and interpreting the communication since data is stored in the form of chatlogs. The current chapter explicates methodological procedures for the measurement and visualization of chat-based communicative interaction in MUVWs as social networks. A case study on an educational MUVW, the SciCentr programs sponsored by Cornell University, is used to elaborate methods and related findings.

User-Driven Content Creation in Second Life A Source of Innovation?

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Sisse Siggaard Jensen
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Open Innovation ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Content Creation ◽  
Service Project ◽  
Symbolic World

In this chapter, Second Life is conceived as an open space and symbolic world of user-driven co-creation of content. The questions asked concern the ways in which the actors of three case studies design, mediate, and remediate their Second Life projects and how the choices they make contribute to user-driven content creation and possibly to innovative practices. To answer these questions, concepts of innovation, in particular closed and open innovation are introduced and motivations for engaging in co-creation are identified. It is suggested that we understand user-driven innovation in a world like Second Life in terms of symbolic reorganization of conceptual frameworks and meaning-making. Subsequently, the concept of remediation is suggested as a way to conceive of mediation in the cases studied. It is shown how difficult it is for actors to co-create, mediate, and remediate thus to generate user-driven innovative practices in two Danish business projects (Wonder DK and Times) and in one public service project (Literary). To conclude the analysis of the case studies, it is suggested that methods of creative co-creation and innovative practices can build on the concept of remediation borrowed from research on new media and redefined in virtual worlds.

Learning for the Future

2009 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guy Merchant
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Online Engagement ◽  
Scale Shift ◽  
Popular Engagement

Over the last five years there has been a large scale shift in popular engagement with new media. Virtual worlds and massive multiplayer online games attract increasing numbers, whilst social networking sites have become commonplace. The changing nature of online engagement privileges interaction over information. Web 2.0 applications promote new kinds of interactivity, giving prominence and prestige to new literacies (Lankshear and Knobel, 2006). To date, discussion of the opportunities, and indeed the risks presented by Web 2.0 has been largely confined to social and recreational worlds. The purpose of this chapter is to open up discussion about the relevance of Web 2.0 to educational practice. A central concern in what follows will be to show how the new ways of communicating and collaborating that constitute digital literacy might combine with new insights into learning in ways that transform how we conceive of education (Gee, 2004).

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