Second Life: Going Where the Users Are

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Second LifeGoing Where the Users Are

• Michael Sauers
• Technology Innovation Librarian,Nebraska Library
  Commission

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What is Second Life?

• Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely
  built and owned by its residents.
• An environment

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Statistics
19 March 2007 905SLT
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Is Second Life a Game?

• For me, it is a game because its a form of
  entertainment.
• There are games in Second Life (Super Lag Ball)

• There is no manufactured conflict, no set
  objective. Its an entirely open-ended
  experience.
• Its an OS

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Recommended System Requirements

• Internet Connection Cable or DSL
• Computer Processor 1.6GHz Pentium 4 or Athlon
  2000 or better
• Computer Memory 512MB or better
• Video/Graphics Card
• nVidia GeForce FX 5600, GeForce 6600, or better
• OR ATI Radeon 9600, X600, or better
• NOTE Second Life does NOT currently support
  Windows Vista

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Account Options

• Free
• Additional free accounts are 9.95
• L225 signup bonus
• Premium
• 9.95/mo
• L1000 signup bonus
• L300/week stipend

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Quote

• What is there to teach? You just log in and do
  it.-Sara, age 13

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Avatars!
www.flickr.com/photos/pathfinderlinden/386259434/
www.flickr.com/photos/araiya/31927037/
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In-world Communication

• Text chat
• IM
• Stream in audio and video
• In-world voice coming soon

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Economy

• Linden Dollars (L)
• Liquid Market
• Buy L with real US
• Sell L for real US
• 1L240

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Owning Land

• Must have a premium account to own land.
• Islands are priced at US1,675 for 65,536 square
  meters (about 16 acres). Monthly land fees for
  maintenance are US295.
• We offer a discount to verified real world
  educators and academic institutions (e.g.,
  universities/schools) or 501(c)3 non-profit
  organizations that will be using the regions to
  support their organization's official work. For
  these organizations, small islands are priced at
  US980 for 65,536 square meters (about 16 acres),
  and monthly land fees for maintenance are US150.

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83 sq miles
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Building

• Create a prim
• Shape it, color it, texture it
• Apply physics and lighting

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Scripting

• Avatar and object control
• Movement (sexy walk, pose, dance, combat)
• Permissions (ownership, copy, modify)
• Audio/Video
• Event sensing
• Output

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Who owns what I create?

• You retain all rights to your intellectual
  property.

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Camera View

• You dont have to look through your eyes.

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Learning Environments

• Walk through molecular models
• Meditate in a Shinto temple
• Heart Murmur Simulation
• Live in Victorian times
• Live in Ancient Rome
• Visit the Globe Theatre

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Events
http//www.flickr.com/photos/jeremyvaught/42235877
9/

• US Congress
• Henry VIII
• Book discussiongroups
• Author events
• Kurt Vonnegut,Dean Koontz
• Concerts
• Jay Z, U2,Duran Duran, Suzanne Vega

http//www.nevillehobson.com/2007/03/14/dean-koont
z-comes-to-second-life/
http//www.flickr.com/photos/34929109_at_N00/42298769
8/
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Par-tay!
http//www.flickr.com/photos/photolibraries/419796
290/
http//www.flickr.com/photos/christajoy42/38523350
7/
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Groups

• Librarians of Second Life
• Podcaster Island
• Stroke victims
• Wheelies
• The Land of Doctor Who

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Machinima
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Info Island
Alliance Library Systems April 2006 Rented
space May 2006 InfoIsland Currently 10 ALS
Islands 9 Associated Islands
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Places Faces

• InfoIsland
• InfoIsland 2
• Health InfoIsland
• Cybrary City
• Cybrary City 2
• EduIsland
• EduIsland 2
• ALA/ Arts Island
• Imagination Island
• Renaissance Island
• Eye4YouAlliance
• Island (Teen Grid)

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Service

• Outreach
• Public
• Academic
• Special
• Conversation
• Events
• Workshops
• Displays Exhibits
• One-on-one interactions

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Benefits

• Networking
• Partnerships Collaboration
• Events, workshops, discussion groups
• Meeting space
• Creative Space
• Continuing education
• Library education

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Cybrary City 1 2

• Individual Library Space
• Academic
• Johnson Wales University
• Stanford Engineering Library
• Claremont College Digital Library
• Public
• Kansas State Library
• Society Hill (SC) Public Library
• Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenburg County
  (NC)
• Special
• Law
• Medical
• Nebraska Library Commission

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Cybrary City Library Schools
University of Michigan University of
Pittsburgh City University of NY
UNC Chapel Hill UNC Greensboro University of
South Florida San Jose State University
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• ALA Headquarters and Washington Office Come to SL
  
• David Lankes from Syracuse University delivered
  ALA's
• Washington Office's first interactive
  presentation in Second
• Life
• http//iis.syr.edu/projects/PNOpen/

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Reality Checks
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Reality Checks

• If you dont have the recommended hardware its
  going to be a frustrating experience.
• If you cant follow several conversations and are
  easily annoyed by tyops
• You dont have to spend real money, but it helps.

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Reality Checks

• The more people at an event/in a location the
  greater the lag will be.
• Your boss and co-workers will probably not view
  this as work so youll be contributing personal
  time.
• The more fun youre having, the more time youll
  want to spend on the grid.

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Reality Checks

• People are generally polite but theyll still
  fall on your head.
• Dont plan on keeping track of acquaintances
  based on their appearance as many change their
  avatars regularly.

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Reality Checks

• Updates, updates, updates.
• Trying to log in for an event at the last minute
  only to find out you need to download a new
  version first.
• System problems
• Grey Goo
• Purchased items disappearing
• The world goes offline

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Getting Started

• Sign up for a free account and play!
• InfoIsland.org
• Podcasts
• Whos on Second
• Second Life Library
• Videos on YouTube

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Thank you!

• Michael Sauers
• a.k.a.
• TravelinLibrarian Mandelbrot
• Nebraska Library Commission
• msauers_at_nlc.state.ne.us
• www.travelinlibrarian.info
• del.icio.us/travelinlibrarian/secondlife