Second life is an online virtual world, with many features that replicate living in the real world. It allows you to connect, communicate and collaborate with people and organisations all over the world.
Second life allows the user to be anybody they want to be. If in real life you are female and want to be male, go ahead. Too shy to walk around with purple hair in real life? It doesn’t matter in Second Life.
Features and functions
With everything accessible via a control sidebar and easy to use menus, navigation in Second Life is relatively easy, once the user has a grasp of what they are doing.
Second Life has its own currency, Linden dollars. These can be purchased by the user with their credit card. There are however, many free items to be found in Second Life.
Second Life allows the user to voice chat using a microphone, or type chat using the keyboard. Headphones are recommended for those using voice chat to avoid feedback for other users.
The user can change the clothes and style of their avatar with the click of a button. An inventory stores all clothes and objects picked up throughout the users’ time ‘in world’.
How information organisations could use Second Life
The Cybrary City II Public Library is part of the Community Virtual Library, a “virtual library that exists in Second Life” (Community Virtual Library). It offers users internet subject guides, which once clicked on, opens a web browser with a hot list of information sources on a specific topic, such as education or sciences. The library also offers users links to free eBooks from gutenberg.org.
Organisations could also use Second Life to offer reference services, readers’ advisory services, book clubs/talks, host discussion groups, and be a meeting space for groups. Libraries could also host computer sessions normally held in the ‘real world’ library ‘in world’.
Second life allows library employees to connect and collaborate with librarians all over the world. Professional Development (PD) opportunities are accessible for anyone who wishes to attend. PD experiences that may not be available for everyone in real life are now easily access in Second Life.
My Second Life experience
Me - Alita Zerundi in Second Life
Unfortunately, my laptop is not as compatible with Second Life as I would like, however I did manage to navigate my way to several places, including giving myself a self guided tour of Info Island. Aside from the graphics lag, this island offers an array of information for users. The ‘collections’ are organised as different buildings. More information on the collections available on Info Island can be found at http://infoisland.org/collectionsinfo/.
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