Info Island this week

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 professionals
June 29, 1 & 3 PM PST
HealthInfo Island 130, 140, 22

American Libraries Online: Internet Librarian says Second Life needs libraries

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 libraries
By Joseph Janes
American Libraries Columnist

Information Today - Librarians on Second Life

Feb 2007.Vol. 24, Iss. 2
Focus 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 a library ghost town". The truth is, that the library islands have over 4000 visitors a day, and over 300 volunteers. It looks like she spent a few hours touring the island and drew her conclusions without actually interviewing a librarian there, attending an event, joining a group, or learning how to view the traffic.

Too bad.

I can't provide a link to the article, it is available through ProQuest

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

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 will do a short presentation on his new book "The Sloop John B" where he will bring his characters to life by wearing their avatars, followed bybook signing on 2/10.
InfoIsland.org

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

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 issue of Computers in Libraries may give authors Lori Bell, Tom Peters, and Kitty Pope the distinction of being first to publish. This is a distinction they have certainly earned. Their combined efforts planted the first Second Life Library.
I can't provide an external link to this article, but it is available through the Wilson Web database.

Get a (Second Life! Prospecting for gold in a 3-D world
Computers in Libraries 27 no1 10-15 Ja 2007
Lori Bell, Tom Peters, and Kitty Pope

Computers in Libraries

ALA Midwinter Podcast about Second Life

Mark Bard, Information Technology Specialist, ALA Office for Information Technology Policy
Barbara Galik, President, Board of Directors, Alliance Library System
Kitty Pope, Executive Director, Alliance Library System
Lori Bell, Director of Innovation, Alliance Library System

Subject
In the hustle and bustle of Midwinter, Mark Bard sat down with Barbara Galik, Kitty Pope, and Lori Bell to discuss the online phenomenon Second Life.

Lori, Barbara and Kitty are the innovators who have jump-started libraries in SL. From a small storefront in April 2006 they now have 9 islands, that receive 4000 visitors a day, with a volunteer staff of 300. Listen to the interview here:
http://blogs.ala.org/districtdispatch.php?title=district_dispatch_podcast_7_special_midw&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Second Life Library this week

Mon Jan 22 - Training: Establishing an Educational Presence in Second Life / Teen Second Life
Tue Jan 23 - Training: Life Confidence and Potential Maximization
Wed Jan 24 - Genealogy Center on InfoIsland II - Presentation: Researching Revolutionary War Records
Thurs Jan 25 - Training: Establishing an Educational Presence in Second Life / Teen Second Life
Fri Jan 26 - 28 InfoIsland II - Exhibit and Reenactment: Marie Antoinette - The Teen Queen
Training: Life Confidence and Potential Maximization
Mon Jan 29 - Caledon branch- Book discussion: Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Heath Info Island: New information stations to help search all the resources there
The details here: InfoIsland this week:

Sirsi Dynix and Alliance Library System form Second Life Partnership

Sirsi Dynix Sponsors Alliance Library Second Life Library and Teen second Life library
January 20th, 2007

SirsiDynix Sponsors Alliance Library System’s Second Life Library 2.0

SirsiDynix will fund the two main islands in the Info Island project on Second Life

SEATTLE, Jan. 19, 2007 – SirsiDynix, the global leader in strategic technology solutions for libraries bringing knowledge to people and communities, announced today its 2007 sponsorship of the two main islands in the Alliance Library System/Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County partnership project on Second Life and Teen Second Life. (the rest)

The Alliance Library System serves a consortium of 258 libraries in Illinois. Starting in April 2006, their Director of Innovation, Lori Bell (aka Lorelei Junot) began the project of starting a virtual library in Second Life in a rented space. By May an entire island had been donated and a library built, the original InfoIsland. Early partners were TechSoup, and OPAL. InfoIsland has expanded to include InfoIsland II and HealthInfo Island. Another partnership with Talis built Cybrary City, an island where libraries can rent space. Islands keep appearing; CommonWealth Island to provide space to non-profit organizations and EduIsland to provide space to colleges and universities. It just keeps getting more interesting. What next?