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Academic health sciences libraries support the educational, research, clinical, and service missions of the universities and healthcare institutions of which they are a part. In the recent past, this has meant primarily building print and web-based collections of health and research information, and providing classes and services that facilitate the use and integration of these collections into the skillset of the local academic healthcare community. In Spring of 2007, the University of Michigan Medical School purchased an island in Second Life. In supporting the activities associated with this initiative, we have found that many of the activities and services we have traditionally offered are not immediately relevant in the new environment, are needs that are being filled by others, or are beyond the scope of what is possible with the resources currently available to us. Examples of these might include teaching how to search Medline, offering classes relating to health skill sets, building collections of health information. Similarly, many of the activities and services we have found ourselves embracing in Second Life are hard to imagine ever happening in our real life libraries. Examples of these might include building freebie collections, teaching classes on how to make clothes, setting up a Spirit Shop for the university (along with making the inventory), hosting in-world and out-world events to engage community, setting up a patient support group, as well as helping folks navigate Orientation and Help Islands. Here we present information about the similarities and differences between what we do in which environment and why we do or do not offer similar services in the other environment, as well as discuss the planning process and skill sets required. We would particularly like to focus on tools that have formed the basis of our community building efforts, which have largely depended on resources that bridge Second Life and the broader online and analog environments. So, when it comes to leading the way in a new and emerging technological environment, what are librarians going to do? Our answer: whatever needs to be done.
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Whatcha Gonna Do?: An Academic Health Sciences Library in Second Life Embraces New Roles
Perplexity Peccable (PF Anderson); Gillian Oh (Gillian Mayman );
Kaiya Qunhua (Anne Perorazio); and Wrenaissance Jewell (Jane Blumenthal)
University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries
©2008 Regents of the University of Michigan. All rights reserved.
About Academic Health Sciences Libraries Primary roles are to support the core functions of
the academic and healthcare institutions they serve. Education Research Clinics Service/Outreach
For more information: Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries:
http://www.aahsl.org Medical Library Association: http://www.mlanet.org
CollectionsServicesInstructionReference
University of Michigan Health Sciences Libraries (HSL) Multiple physical locations
Taubman Medical Library Public Health Library and Informatics Dentistry Library
One identity
Now also … Wolverine Island Library
UM HSL Homepage http://www.lib.umich.edu/hsl/
Wolverine Island March 2007 - purchase Spring & Summer -
planning August 2007 - building September 2007 -
Wolverine Island opens to select group of faculty and students
Transitioning to a New Environment, part 1
March 2007 “Get ready! We’re going into
Second Life” “By the way, you’ll be teaching”
Spring & Summer 07 Exploring science, health, library & education
locations in Second Life Learning Second Life skills
August 07 Dental school dean requests a video to show other
dental school deans … in 3 days.
Our 3-Day Video
Transitioning to a New Environment, pt. 2
September 07 Library promotes Second Life events to campus
community via blogs and email October 07
University of Michigan Medical School has an elective course in Second Life
Library observes and assists December 07
Library co-hosts the first campus event in Second Life with Medical School and School of Dentistry
1st Brown Bag - Dec 7, 2007
The Birth of SLUM SLUM - Second Life @ the University of
Michigan Weekly “brown bag” events
Tours, local speakers, invited speakers, classes, discussions, freebies, swapmeets
Communication Blog, wiki, in-world groups, campus email
groups
SLUM Blog
SLUM Wiki
Transitioning to a New Environment, part 3 Oops! But what about the library?
Whatcha gonna do with the … Library?
HSL - What do we do? Pics of circulation, reference desk,
stacks, new journals, and patrons at computers
HSL - What do we do?
RL SL
Circulation X
Collections X
Document Delivery X
Reference desk hours X
Reserves X
SL - Why not? Other libraries offer reference and
reading collections in SL Not enough trained staff Not enough demand
HSL - What else do we do?
RL SL
Instruction X X
Liaison services X X
Resource guides X X
Troubleshooting X X
Instruction in RL
Instruction in SL
SL guides & handouts
SL Troubleshooting Installation, updates, permissions Local tech support Highly secure tech
environments Teleporting requires
network access to adjacent “pipes”
Voice/video/versions Videocards Who ya gonna call?
HSL - What else do we do?
RL SL
Community space X X
Events & speakers X X
Exhibits X X
Research & grants X ?
Small group working spaces
X X
Events Pics from events for the SLUM Brown Bag
series - Demo of Play2Train space; self-guided tour of Genome Island; putting on school colors for a winter tour of Wolverine Island, a gaming event, invited speaker JJ Drinkwater
Exhibits
HSL - What else do we do?
RL SL
Library tours X X
World tours X
Tools – Information X X
Tools – Building, coding X
Vendors & ‘sales’ X
Tours
Tools
Vendors
HSL - What else do we do?
RL SL
Free clothes, hair, skin, and a food court, too!
X
Game days X
Maize & Blue (“Spirit”) Shop
X
Parties & Dance floor X
Patient support group X
Other Food court and patient support group
HSL - Who do we serve? (RL)
NOTE: All percentages are estimates.
HSL - Who do we serve? (SL)*
* Wolverine Island is currently closed to the public, except by invitation
Who we are Volunteers
from the HSL staff Liaisons Infopoint
(Reference) More than
shown here
Our Library
Ground Level Casual seating (“Mysti” tables) Food court Freebie vendors Maize & Blue “Spirit” Shop SL tools & utilities
vendors
Main Floor Welcome signs and library desk Fireplace & chess table Comfortable seating Tutorials Staff SL presentation
archive
Mezzanine Exhibits and displays
Roof Small group work space Open whiteboards Dancefloor Event space
Example skills used Editing furniture & scripts Making freebie givers Event planning and coordination Recruiting speakers Mixing sit poses for seating areas Graphic design Setting up vendors Doing slide presentations Clothing design Orientation Island, again & again
Rewards Collegial activities with other campuses and
institutions (Ann Arbor + Dearborn) Awareness & visibility Learning & engagement Collaboration & sharing Costs ($$) borne by others (mostly) Identified as community leaders Second Life is its own reward
Lessons learned 1 The power of the freebie The essential goodness of human nature
(but one bad apple can spoil a lot of people’s day) There is no limit to imagination
(but there is to time and ability) Presence first, than space The importance of being flexible and responsive
Ask what is most needed Don’t make plans before you build skills When you do make plans, make backup plans
Lessons learned 2 “No man is an island” – especially in SL!
Team building Team playing Neighbors Friends Colleagues Community Strangers
Whatcha gonna do? Strip to your underwear to teach a class Do Tai Chi on the roof Make a dance floor
from pics of human cells Become a skeleton,
then a “muscle” man Who knows?
When all else fails … dance
Contact Information Patricia F. Anderson, [email protected] Perplexity Peccable
Health Sciences Libraries Resources Web: http://www.lib.umich.edu/hsl/ Slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/umhealthscienceslibraries/slideshows/
Blog: http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/hsl/
Wolverine Island Resources Blog: http://mblog.lib.umich.edu/slum/ Pics: http://flickr.com/groups/slum/ Wiki: http://slum.wetpaint.com/ NOTE: Wolverine Island is not currently
open to the public.
Presentation Resources These slides are available at:
http://www.slideshare.net/umhealthscienceslibraries/
Video: Science Learning Opportunities in Second
Life: http://youtube.com/watch?v=EfsSGBraUhc
