Introduction to Second Life
Jill Hurst-WahlHurst Associates, Ltd.
Updated 8/13/2007
Copyright © 2007, Hurst Associates, Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Your Handout
• www.lakenet.org/training/workshops.html
• www.lakenet.org/training/Intro_SL.pdf
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Flexible Agenda
• Introductions & expectations
• Definitions• History• Videos• Photos • P, P & T in SL• Skills needed• PC requirements
• What are librarians doing in SL?
• Concerns• Building SL
communities• Getting involved• Add’l readings• Q&A
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What is Second Life?
• Virtual world• MUVE• Simulation (SIM)• Not a game• A creation Linden Labs• Open to the public in 2003• 8.6+ million registered users
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• Think of NYC:– Burroughs & neighborhoods
(islands)– Lots to do
•What do you do in NYC?– International / multicultural– Never sleeps
SecondLife.com
More Definitions
See handout!
The History of SL
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• Opened to the public in 2003• Attracted people, businesses, not-for-
profits, libraries, etc.• First millionaire – Fall 2005• >200 univ’s & learning-focused orgs*• 2008 Presidential candidates• Frequently in the news• Controversial• Always changing• Shifting infrastructure
Videos
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Photos
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• Lots of photos at Flickr.com– Need to censor, since SL is like
RL.•Second Life•Info Island
P,P & T in SL orTour of Second Life
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Tour Stops
• Not always busy during the day• Reference, programs & exhibits
– Not materials• Info Island
– Welcome Area– Main Library– Mystery Manor– Peace Park– TX950 (Bell Library)
• Health Info Island• Ohio Univ. – exhibit• Ohio Learning Network• Edwards Campaign Central• Capitol Hill South / Virginia Tech Memorial• Teen Grid Transfer Station
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Skills Needed
• Ability to adapt to change• Patience• Capacity to forgive• Keyboarding skills• Familiarity with social networking s/w
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• Adept at translating RL skills into what a virtual world needs
• Comfortable working in “perpetual beta”
• Ability to learn and teach simultaneously
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• Capacity to learn new tech skills quickly
• Ability to be comfortable with the unknown
• At ease in creating your role in SL
Computing Requirements
What are librarians doing in SL?
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• Networking • Collaborating• Re-thinking space• Supporting other SL efforts• Supporting virtual communities• Learning to use virtual space
for education
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• Promoting & showcasing resources or services
• Discussing the use of role-playing• Creating new tools• Prototyping• Positioning themselves for the
future
Concerns: Privacy & Security
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• Community Standards– Respect– Decency– Peaceful living
• Police Blotter– Abuse/crime is not tolerated
• IP Rights– You create it, you own it
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• Information for Parents• Teen Second Life Community
Standards, teen.secondlife.com/footer/cs
Building SL communitiesor
SL networking outside of SL
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• SL communities require more than SL. Why?– Easier conversations– Archived conversations– Faster sharing of information– Creating institutional memory– Multiple ways of getting to know
each other
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• Requires other Internet/Web 2.0 tools:– Email & IM– Google groups– Ning– Facebook– Flickr– YouTube– Blogs, forums & wikis
Getting Involved
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• Sign-up for a free account• Get through Orientation Island &
onto the mainland (Help Island)• Spend time in world & master the
basics of SL• Attend a few in world functions• Talk to other residents• Get to work / volunteer!
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Jill Hurst-Wahl“Jillianna Suisei”
[email protected]: jillNYS / Skype: jill.hurst.wahl
www.HurstAssociates.comwww.Digitization.com