Progress+report

__**Week I**__

I have not spent a lot of time recently in SL so I used this week to get back into the feeling of working with Aubergine in world. I sent some IMs to people I have met- librarians and educators to ask again about volunteering with AVL (Alliance Virtual Library) and to, I hope, set up some interview with people teaching and creating in SL regularly.

I am talking with someone tonight who has made a number of interactive displays- I hope we will be able to tour some together.

I asked at AVL about shadowing someone during the planning and carrying out of a workshop. I am also poised to volunteer as a reference librarian and hope to get that started. (feeling a little apprehensive but willing to try ;)

The articles I read so far are focusing on the 'newness' of librarianship in SL. I'll be posting some thought to the blog, but what I am wondering is if I can follow up with some of the original librarians of AVL to see how they are feeling about librarianship in SL now. The last article I could find was dated May 2008 so another year has gone by.

In preparation for any upcoming discussions/interviews, I will put together some focus questions.

__**Week II**__

Had a wonderful discussion last night with someone who designs interactive SL exhibits (sims). I asked her what makes an effective exhibit and she responded by talking about engaging the audience; grabbing their interest. It made me think about how SL touches all of your senses so that the experinece is on many different levels all at the same time. A 'good' exhibit captures this.

So my question is how to articulate this feeling to people who have not experienced it and how to articulate why this is such a rich opportunity for learning.

The 'through the looking glass' feeling is equally difficult to articulate in that I am experiencing 'this' through Aubergine who has her own persona. How is hers related to mine? Yet another layer of learning.

I attended a class taught by a RL professor in SL. Aubergine had met her before and I asked if we could sit in on a class. It was an introductory class where students had just entered SL so they were learning basic skills. It was actually taught by a guest lecturer with voice (including the students for those who had it). I will follow up with the professor to find out what the class focus is.

I also sat in on an ISTE program with teachers talking about how they use Web 2.0 in their classrooms. What I was really looking at was how the program was organized. I was late to the program but when I got there they had split inot small discussion groups lead by a facilitator. The object was to come up with a favorite Web 2.0 application and be able to report to the group why the particular one was chosen. Prior to the actual program, one of the organizers sent out an email (SL notecard) with a link to a Google doc outlining the program and leaving space for things to be added afterward. One small group actually had the facilitator adding to the document during the discussion. I am curious about the logistics of doing that.

Again, there was a combination of real life type discussion in an improbable setting. We were gathered around campfires and some at the beach; not a typical workshop setting, perhaps.

It reiterates something that seems to recur in SL- 'a willing suspension of disbelief'

Here is the link to the Google doc created for the workshop: []

Attended training workshop for volunteering at the AVL reference desk 5-23 Here is a link to my notes (some of it is cut and pasted from the chat log) []

Interviewed a librarian in RL and SL who plans and designs a number of exhibits (will post slurls). Interviewed University level professor who holds classes for teachers in SL as part of the education degree program at her University. I will use the notes in either a blog post or reflection on the wiki.

And!, arranged to shadow a reference librarian as part of the volunteer training.

__**Week III**__

Aubergine attended a forum sponsored by the Stonewall Learning Center titled "Coming Out of the Closet" which was part of a monthly series on LGBT issues. It was a panel discussion held in chat only. Very informal and after some discussion was opened up to the audience to share and ask questions. We will try to post a reflection. One question I have again on this particular topic is whether the anonymity of SL helps people feel comfortable discussing what can be very personal and sensitive issues.

This week ended up being a week of SL frustrations. I was scheduled to interview a librarian who is creates a number of exhibits/displays for AVL and I was set to shadow a references librarian. Both fell through when they did not show up. Though both are very dedicated to SL, RL takes precedence. While waiting for the reference librarian, however, Aubergine was able to talk to the librarian ending her shift. She is currently a K- 6 school librarian who is exploring teaching environments in SL. She shared a machinima she had made as part of an independent project at her university. Not all was lost

I also had computer troubles with the computer crashing on two different occasions necessitating rebooting. Aubergine, meanwhile, left the people she was talking to cold- and wondering what on earth was going on! In one case, the person was still there when I got the computer going again, but in the other, the person had to leave. Aubergine sent an IM explaining the mishap, but it was awkward nonetheless. In RL, I am still trying to figure out what happened, but it has reinforced the idea that SL is still shaky and that it requires advanced technology/hardware to work. I can imagine the frustration a librarian in the middle of a reference interview, or a professor in the middle of a lecture, or a facilitator in the middle of a workshop would feel if such a drastic crash occurred. It might be important to coordinate with someone to take over to be prepared for an unexpected crash or other computer glitch. Aubergine had no way to communicate what was going on. The computer completely froze up, so even if she had an email, she could not send a message. Extraordinarily frustrating!

Aubergine used the time to explore more of what AVL has to offer since as a reference volunteer she should be familiar with all the exhibits and displays as well as the actual libraries on info archipelago. She realized how much there is that she does not know about; good to realize, but also frustrating.

I am starting to realize that immersive learning requires a significant time investment! Aubergine is still a new comer and although everyone has been very welcoming, it will take immersing herself repeatedly and in many different opportunities to really be fluent in SL. Aubergine and I need to sit down and decide on a focus and a few goals for the near term.

__**Week IV**__

Real Life intervened throughout this week which raised an important point a number of the people Aubergine and I have met have made. SL is an extremely alluring place (once you 'get it') and easy to spend a lot of time in, but RL has real commitments that take priority over volunteer commitments made in SL.

However, I think this point is about to be challenged. Aubergine met with the two people primarily responsible for ALA Island about setting up (or reinitiating a presence) for the Washington Office. To our surprise, they were very interested in having someone take that on and have offered an entire section (not sure how big actually but big enough considering we were only thinking kiosk) to design and maintain. To me, this opportunity crosses the line between SL as a 'hobby' and SL as part of your profession, or RL responsibilities. Representing a RL organization in SL brings with it a whole host of issues and concerns- not the least of which is getting the organization on board with the project. At one point the Washington Office had someone who was active in SL and maintained some displays, but from what I can tell it was a personal project/interest.

I am finding myself in the position many of the authors were in when they started out. There are innumerable possibilities- limited only by my imagination (which is going a mile a minute thinking about what 'd like to do) but what will I have to explain to the Office? What questions will they have? Can I get them on board? What image will they want to convey? How will their expectations influence what I am able to do? Will I be able to work in SL as part of my 'regular' repsonsibilites? Will it remain something I do in my free time?

The possibility of being able to create an area has overwhelemed much of my other thoughts about our SL adventures this far. I feel as if I am on the edge of (something) and am feeling like I am about to embark on a 21st century adventure where I have been given the chance to create that elusive content I've been trying to put a name to since I got hooked on remix and mashup culture- finding a voice for the 21st century culture/writing/literacy.

Paper, paper, paper... Aubergine and I spent most of this week marshaling our thoughts for the forthcoming paper. Throughout this part of the project (ie developing an understanding of what is currently happening in SL regarding teaching/learning and where librarians fit in as well as what role I would like to have in articulating the potential of immersive environments to the library community) I have been pulled in and out of the virtual world and the real world- so when I am in one I feel the other calling my attention. As with any project, it takes a significant amount of time getting familiar with the milieu, or the area of focus. In SL, the fact that it is a foreign land/environment, meanas there are issues and time requirements beyond a 'regular' research project- even one involving orginial research. Aubergine more or less has been conducting ethnographic research and translating it for me to interpret into something meaningful to our audience.
 * __Week V__**

Something I am excited about is that this paper does not represent the end of the project. It is an inroad, a beginning as there is much more I would like to explore. But, now RL needs to come first and back to the paper!