The Alexandrian Free Library

A Study in Virtual Community(Second Life Library Profiles)

The Alexandrian Free Library

• Is a: • Consortium of community-based

libraries• In, and beyond, Second Life

Who We Are

• Libraries for virtual communities• Arising from and rooted in the

communities we serve

The Caledon Library

• Is a branch of the Alexandrian Free Library

The Steelhead Public Library

• is a branch of the Alexandrian Free Library

The Winterfell Library

• is a branch of the Alexandrian Free Library

The Toussaint L’Ouverture Library of New Toulouse

• is an affiliate of the Alexandrian Free Library

The R. F. Burton Library of New Babbage

• is an affiliate of the Alexandrian Free Library

Who we are

• Libraries for virtual communities• Arising from and rooted in the

communities we serve

Presence

Services

• Commune, consult, aid, abet, advise• In, and beyond, Second Life

Exhibits

Collections

Events

Challenges

• Giving patrons something they can’t give themselves

Challenges

• Fitting in as the iconic library– While functioning as a modern library

Challenges

• Identifying evolving patron use patterns

Challenges

• Identifying community needs– Often needs that are not yet in practice

Opportunities

• Finding where library & museum techniques meet and supple,ent each other

• Presenting the historical record in ways that are graspable, yet lead into the broadest vista

Opportunities

• Turning the new bibliophile on to what’s out there

• Pleasures!– Of reading– Of knowledge– Expanding into the age of massive

networked digital content

Opportunities

• Patrons = Partners• Third place / adult play• Living imaginative lives, living literate

lives

Images from the Field

• Libraries, exhibits, and dances with wings

Images from the Field

• Consultation• Tea party• Library without Walls

URLs I: Tools• Twitter Box for SL

– http://ordinalmalaprop.com/twitter/– Twitter: http://twitter.com

• Blog-HUD Second Life blogging system– http://bloghud.com

• Caledon Library– http://thelibrarymilitant.net/

• Steelhead Public Library– http://library.steelheadcity.us

• Custom Search Engine– http://google.com/coop/cse?cx=015330499799466611175%3Aaf0xg9rscyg

• Feedback Gathering– http://caledonlibrary.wufoo.com/forms/caledon-library-aetheric-opinion-gathering-gizmo/– http://caledonlibrary.wufoo.com/forms/suggest-a-link-to-the-aether/– http://caledonlibrary.wufoo.com/forms/caledon-library-reference-links– http://tinyurl.com/SteampunkSites

URLs II: Community• Community Forums & Wikis

– http://steelheadsentinel.blogspot.com– http://www.caledoforums.com– http://www.caledonwiki.com

• Community Calendars– http://tinyurl.com/5zknb9– http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=gabrielle.riel%40comcast.net– http://tinyurl.com/5w3m8g

• Blogosphere– http://caerfyrddin.org/mostlycaledon.htm

• YouTube:– http://youtube.com/watch?v=RRj3HNx8_wA– http://youtube.com/watch?v=jFaeyQqftS0– http://youtube.com/watch?v=o57nvrgx-24– http://youtube.com/watch?v=3C7deS8u4J8

• The role of JJ Jacobson (MSI 2005) player by JJ Drinkwater, JJDrinkwater [at] gmail.com