ACRL-VWIG & ALA Virtual Communities Libraries Program
May 21, 2017 12PM SLT 

at the CVL Auditorium in Second Life

"Vision of Virtual World Librarianship"
presented by:
Valerie Hill  (Valibrarian Gregg in Second Life),
President of the Community Virtual Library

At Mays' monthly meeting of the ACRL-VWIG, Valibrarian Gregg (Valerie Hill), presented an update on the activities of the Community Virtual Library (CVL), and shared information about some major changes that are coming to it.   The CVL has been active in Second Life and other virtual worlds for over a decade now!  During that time, it has always served as an information and networking hub for librarians and educators who were interested in the educational potential of virtual worlds.

This phrase has helped define the goal of all CVLs' activities during this time which has been, and continues to be, promoting virtual spaces for learning, resource-sharing and exploration.  This vision statement declares what the CVL intends to be; a place to share professional work, and communities as resources so that people can connect and learn in virtual environments.   Their mission statement further elaborates what they do: 

Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science, which basically focus on the idea of connecting the learner to the resources they need readily translates and can be adapted to virtual world resources. Librarians in virtual worlds serve the same purpose too; helping to connect users with relevant information and resources.

Val briefly examined the principles which have guided CVLs' activities in virtual worlds for the last ten years.  These principles have been;

1.  Advocate Digital Citizenship-by understanding the changing needs of library users & learners in digital culture, the CVL strives to model digital citizenship for all age groups

2. Foster Connecting Virtual Communities-the CVL believes virtual communities are vital resources for digital citizens.  It has always focused its activities on fostering networking and forming of community partnerships as well as sharing communities of interest with visitors.

3.  Support Information Literacy- the CVL works to embed core values of librarianship in new media formats.  The emphasis has been on respect for intellectual property, fostering the information freedom rights of all users and emphasizing personal responsibility for digital citizenship.

4.  Adapt and Innovate-the CVL models adapting technology tools to meet the needs of learners through innovative formats in virtual spaces.  These tools include sharing virtual worlds, landmarks to immersive learning environments and collections of virtual learning communities as well as fostering the exploration of virtual reality.

These principles continue to guide the outstanding work of the Community Virtual Library.  

Val next announced some exciting news, the Community Virtual library is partnering with New Media Arts Online and in Virtual Worlds.  This nonprofit organization matches the purpose and philosophy of the CVL and matches its purpose and philosophy nicely.   The partnership will include moving CVLs' website to WWW.newmediaarts.org.   CVL will become a project within New Media Arts.

Val also announced the creation of a new branch of the Community Virtual Library within the virtual world Kitley.  This is step one in the effort to investigate ways to connect communities in virtual worlds beyond Second Life.

The CVL will hold workshops and events in Kitely and planning efforts are already underway for presenting a Digital Citizenship Program in the Fall of 2017 at the newly created Digital Citizenship Museum in Kitely.  The CVL will continue to host events and exhibitions in Second Life too.  The move to New Media Arts is seen as a way of connecting more virtual communities and provides "extra hands" to expand its' activities.  

The final announcement Val made was a new project which will be important to educators and librarians in virtual worlds,  the creation/development of a "Virtual World Database".  While there are numerous spreadsheets and lists of educational sims in virtual worlds, this project will provide a searchable database for finding them across virtual worlds. Creation of this database will highlight high quality content and libraries found in Second Life and other virtual worlds.  The goal is to provide a coordinated source for information about immersive environments and educational sims which demonstrate the educational/learning potential that virtual worlds encompass.  An invitation was made to those present to help create this database of virtual world communities and immersive learning spaces. The link is at:  https://goo.gl/forms/uezsNHEU8i3ivjdG3

As it has for the last ten years, the Community Virtual Library continues to strive to be inclusive and to support the work of others in virtual worlds.  It continues to shine the light on best practices in digital citizenship and learning in virtual spaces.