I’m Scott, and I’m currently a student at the University of British Columbia’s School of Library, Archival and Information Studies. Constructed as partial requirements for LIBR 500: Foundations of Information Technology, this blog is dedicated to exploring the way that virtual worlds have been introduced and implemented in public, academic and special libraries of various types. I’ve been fascinated with the rise of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) for a while now, and while not deeply invested in playing them myself, it’s hard to ignore thier potential applications in other fields. The vast advances in gaming technology are rightly spawning an entire generation of gamers who are being brought up in an environment where the majority of their social interaction occurs online. As libraries hold “best service” at the core of their policies, the practical application of virtual worlds in engendering a positive and engaging environment for this new generation of users will ultimately become an essential quality of the reference process. Many libraries have already begun to implement the technology, and it’s increasingly being incorporated into new systems in innovative ways. Virtual worlds in libraries represent a committment to prognostication regarding user demands, and in exploring their evolving use one can get a sense of the direction that the reference process will take.
Hi Scott,
I am working on a project about gathering gaming resources that teachers can use for them and in class. Also we have a section where we show the teachers more information about games and education.
It is an awesome job you are doing. I was wondering if we can use your blog as part of the references for more information
Thank you in advance Scott
Hi Oscar;
Glad you like the blog – I plan on adding some additional resources soon. I’m big on evolving pedagogy and exploiting the tools that are out there, so please feel free to add the blog to your references list. Thanks for your interest!
– Scott