Spreading the Word about Virtual Librarianship

I was among five librarians recently asked to say a few words about my experience as a librarian in Second Life for a convention of the Portuguese Librarians, Archivists and Documentalists Association (B.A.D) Congress 2010.





The person who asked me, Clark Abismo (Miguel Correia in real life) is a friend of mine who I met and worked with in Second Life. I was honored to have been asked to make this presentation, although a bit nervous, because I felt it was a good opportunity not only to help a friend and colleague and introduce fellow librarians from Portugal to virtual librarianship but also to review for myself what I and other librarians, most from the Community Virtual Library, have done in Second Life.

If you'd asked me three years ago, before I'd joined SL if I'd ever make a testimony about virtual librarianship, I'd probably say you were crazy. There are still many in the library field who feel that environments or worlds such as Second Life, actually they refer to them as "games," are inhabited by people with too much time on their hands or nothing better to do than play. This couldn't be further from the truth. Most SL librarians that I know have regular full-time jobs and, although they do like to have fun in SL once in awhile such as going to dances, this helps them to network as it does in real life. And as far as the type of librarians who join SL, they come from all over the world and bring with them experience and knowledge from their own academic, public, or special libraries, and the person who started it all, Lorelei Junot (Lori Bell in real life) of Alliance Library Systems is definitely not a person you would say plays games. She is a professional in every sense of the word and has brought that professionalism to the group that continues on the Info Archipelago now as the Community Virtual Library.

So speaking to groups like B.A.D. from Portugal or other countries or even locally, we can spread the word about virtual librarianship. And maybe those who hear us might join SL or bring their libraries here. Wouldn't that be great?

Even Avatars Get Sick

I just got over a bad bug which threw me for a curve (high temperature, chills, that generally lousy/sick feeling). Although I've been through this many times in my life, it was a bit scarier this time with all the warnings about Swine Flu and Super Bugs. How does one stay healthy when germs are everywhere? For me, working in a public library, it is especially hard because of the germs that can be transmitted from all the adult patrons, kids, and even staff members. They tell you to wash your hands, spray Lysol around, take your vitamins, eat healthy. Do these preventions work? Sometimes and sometimes not.


Catching a virus or flu is not the only way that people get sick or feel bad. Many people suffer from chronic illnesses that, while aren't usually fatal, can be quite debilitating. Take migraines, for example, or back pain, arthritis, acid reflux, allerigies, the list is pretty long. A lot of these ailments are caused by stress, diet, or just a predisposition to them through heredity or history. It seems staying healthy, in light of all these possible conditions, is not too easy.

But getting better once one is sick is even harder because most people avoid going to doctors until they are pretty sick or in too much pain they literally have no choice. But do you blame them? Most doctors have limited office hours and then squeeze you into an already overbooked schedule which results in your waiting an hour or longer in the waiting room and then possibly an hour more in the exam room. Then, when you do get your five minutes with the doctor, he or she either orders you to go for tests, prescribes a pill that has side effects, or refers you to a specialist. That's why so many people resort to home remedies, chiropractor treatments, and acupuncture. But are these the answer? For some, but not for all.

If you belong to a virtual world like Second Life, you may also mistakenly think your avatar can't get sick. Guess what? Even though a computer-generated image is pretty indestructible (as long as your computer works that is), there are viruses other than computer ones it can catch. I'm often amazed at how many people my avatar knows who come down with colds, viruses, all the usual human complaints, and how they all swear they caught it from one another over the computer which we all know just isn't possible. On a more somber note, avatars even die. There were two deaths recently among my group of library/information people in Second Life. Where do avatars go when they die? No one really knows the answer to that either, but they are missed and mourned by those who have known them virtually. I can attest to that. Even online memorials are sometimes given in their honor or virtual trees planted in their memory.

So how do you keep you and your avatar alive and well? I guess the bottom line is trying to lead as healthy a lifestyle as you can. Don't smoke, excercise, eat fruits and vegetables, retain a healthy weight and have as much fun as you can even if it means hanging out in a virtual world. After all, laughter is the best medicine, and happy avatars are healthy avatars.

Traveling on Your Computer Saves Money and is Still Fun

We're all concerned with saving money these days, so many people are travelling more locally for summer vacations. But have you considered that there are places you can go without even leaving your house and still have a great time when you visit some of the attractions of a virtual world?

If you've been reading my blog, you know that, in addition to being an author of the virtual romance, Cloudy Rainbow, I am also a publisher of a magazine aimed at librarians in the virtual world of Second Life. For this magazine, RezLibris, I have recently started a travel column that will feature monthly themes of places to go in Second Life. For instance, in our June issue that just came out, we feature an article on a museum devoted to King Tut, the Virtual King Tut exhibit at Kings Rezzable. In July, we will take a tropical vacation to the Costa Rica sims to scuba dive, horseback ride, and enjoy the many amenities of these islands. For August, we are planning more vacation fun with a trip to a Second Life amusement park or game sim. And in September it will be back to school to visit one of the many schools that offer virtual instruction or perhap one of the many real colleges that have a presence in the virtual world.

For those of you who have never experienced sightseeing in a virtual world, there are many benefits besides the financial. Have you often worried about what to wear to a party or other social event? In a virtual world, you can attend in your pajamas literally and your avatar, the 3D respresentation of yourself that you create in such a world, can wear gowns or tuxedos that cost $2 or less to buy. But you will also find that you are invited to as many pajama parties as formal events in these worlds, too!

Another benefit to virtual travel is that no passports are required; instead a password enables you to travel around the world and meet people from many countries, too. In addition to visiting many international sights that are recreated as places or sims in virtual worlds like Second Life, you may also visit locations not possible in real life -- science fiction worlds, immersive environments, role-playing lands to name a few.

But how to you find the best places to visit in a virtual world? In Second Life, many players or residents as they are known, have created blogs devoted to their travels (some of my favorites are Second Seeker, Mermaid Diaries, and SL Things to Do) as well as inworld groups catering to others who enjoy the same type of interests be it Art, Music, Science, Sports, or other entertainments. Even virtual travel agencies have sprung up along with virtual hotels, resorts, and clubs.

So for fun at your fingertips literally, pack light, save money on gas, and take a virtual vacation!

Online Friends and Virtual Pals

I know there's a lot of concern in the world today about the affect computers are having on society, how reliant we are becoming on them, how they are affecting our socialization skills, especially those of younger people who have over the years gone from interacting with others in group activities such as sports and clubs to spending more time in front of computer screens emailing, chatting, and social networking with people who are often strangers. I know there are dangers involved, but being of a slightly older generation (35+), I never thought I'd become so hooked myself or find that I could develop real online friendships. Or are they real? What is the definition of friendship? Can you be a friend to someone you have never seen? Is it possible that type of friendship could even be deeper than that with friends you see every day?

To answer these questions, I reflected on my own experience. As a librarian, I've been a member of online mailing list groups for a long time where I was able to discuss some of my interests in books, cats, and parenting. But two years ago, I ventured out into another online experience. I joined Second Life, a virtual world where not only could I talk to people, but I could see them, or at least the 3D graphical represenation of themselves that they call avatars. Even more fun, I could create an avatar of myself, dress her like a Barbie doll, name her, and even have her dance to the best steps that I haven't even mastered. I have to admit I was skeptical at first and quite confused. There is a much more difficult learning curve involved in participating in a virtual world versus joining a yahoo or Google group. After two years, I still can't build anything, but I am starting to arrange the furniture in my house better than I had when I first joined. I still have problems keeping up with multitasking my private IM's with open chat, but I'm also improving there.

It's strange for me to realize that I've made more online friends during my time in Second Life than I have in real life. Is that sad? I don't really think so. What does it say about me? I've always been a bit of a loner, shy and somewhat introverted. Throughout my life, reading and writing have been my favorite pasttimes, and you know they are rather solitary occupations. So maybe that's why a virtual world appeals to me. And yet, Second Life is anything but solitary. In fact, if it were solitary, you would be bored out of your mind. The whole idea is to mingle there, find something to do, and have fun. But it can be more than that if you want it to be. It can be a place to develop real friends.

When I joined Second Life, I was lucky in that I found out about a community of librarians who had started up a great group -- what was then Second Life Library 2.0 and is now the Alliance Virtual Library. Through this group, I became involved in writing about their news, events, and happenings (yes there are virtual newspapers and magazines and most of them are online, too). I opened up my own pet memorial center after my beloved cat, Floppy, died. People actually helped me build and design it. After some time, I heard about a library magazine that was just getting off the ground and decided to join its efforts. I have been working for them for a year and am now the publisher of RezLibris http://rezlibris.com/ I oversee a staff of ten, and I consider many of them my friends. We are all in touch practically daily through email or chat and meet in Second Life occasionally, too. Two of them gave me a hand when I had to relocate my virtual home, helping me set out furnishings and landscaping. One helped me create and maintains my real life website: http://www.debbiedelouise.com.

So getting back to my question about what constitutes a real friend. The definition of a friend to me is someone you can talk to, someone you enjoy being with, and someone who you know you can trust and who will help see you through the hard times, who will be there to lend an ear and give you a hug to lift you up when you are down. Does an online friend or virtual pal fit that description? You can certainly talk to someone online or in a virtual world, but most of the chatting is done by typing words on a keyboard (using voice is now possible in most of these worlds, yet typing is still preferred). Can you really enjoy being with someone you've never met in person? Why not? I often find myself laughing at some things people write, and I actually have memories of fun things I have done with friends in Second Life, the virtual parties and dances I've attended, the incredible art and other exhibits I have viewed, the meetings and conferences I took part in.

A harder question is if you can trust someone you meet online or in a virtual world. Since these people can reveal whatever they'd like about themselves and still remain anonymous by using a pen name (whatever they call their avatars), how can one place trust in such elusive identities? And yet is meeting someone at a singles bar or even a respectable place in real life any better? Many times you just have to trust your instincts. You need to be careful, yes, but that is true in all social situations, the real as well as the virtual.

Another difficult question of whether online friends should be considered real actually concerns the real person behind the keyboard typist or avatar. Can someone you speak to on the computer actually help you in hard times? When I had some last-minute problems regarding the publication of my book, Cloudy Rainbow, I turned to an online friend to discuss the situation. Just talking about it to someone who was there to listen helped, and you'd be surprised at how little real life family members or friends really listen in that way. A virtual pal sometimes has more time and compassion for us than a distant relative or a busy friend.

Last but not least, how in the world can an online friend give a supportive hug? Well, it isn't easy but, in a virtual world, or any immersive experience, the imagination is capable of recreating physical contact. I'm not referring to any x-rated stuff that many of these virtual worlds are avoided because of. What I'm talking about is what psychologists have known for ages, that all feelings begin in the mind. Virtual hugs and handshakes are possible through imagination or animations. Not exactly the real thing, but a pretty decent substitute.

So, yes, online and virtual friendship is not only possible, it can be very rewarding. Whether or not you ever meet these people in person, they can play a very meaningful part of your real as well as virtual life.

When it Rains, it Pours, literally and virtually

Have you ever had a really bad week full of really bad news? I know we all get those once in awhile, and this past week was my turn. It started when my mom informed me her cat 16-year old cat passed away. I felt bad for her because I knew what she was going through and although the cat hadn't been mine, I'd known him since he was a kitten. It also brought back the loss of my Floppy who will be gone two years this fall and whom was the both the inspiration for my book, "Cloudy Rainbow," and the pet memorial center I operate in Second Life.

The week continued with bad news. I learned a long-term patron at the library where I worked who was also a good friend had succumbed to the Cancer she was trying to fight. I had seen the woman less than a month ago. We had shared a smile and a hug. You just never know.

A few other less noteworthy things occurred both at work and at home that added to my rotten week, and then the week was topped off with a message from an online friend that both surprised and saddened me. I was surprised both by the message and my feelings about it. For the purposes of this blog piece, the circumstances don't matter. It just meant that my online correspondence with this person would change and possibly cease. Have others experienced this, I wondered? Have you ever really come to depend on the support and friendship of someone you've never met but someone you email or chat with on a regular basis over the Internet? I imagine this occurs occasionally if not commonly as our society has become so reliant on computers and more people are still lonely even if they have real life friends and family.

In my book, "Cloudy Rainbow," my main character also becomes involved with someone she meets online in a virtual world who she later learns is someone who is actually part of her real life. In a turnabout, the feelings she develops with this person online transfer to her real life relaltionship with him. When I wrote this, I wasn't basing this on any of my own experiences, even though many other events in the book are fictionalized fact. But now that this has happened to me, in a different yet similar way, I can relate. Another acquaintance I have in Second Life recently wrote a column for RezLibris, the library magazine I co-publish, saying that people often reveal more of themselves online and can become as close if not closer than in real life because they are more transparent, having only their words to share with one another. I had never thought about this, but I now see it is very true.

So while I mourn for my mom's cat and a library patron friend, I also mourn the friendship of someone I'd never met in person but whose friendship meant a great deal to me.

When it rains, it pours, literally and virtually. I hope next week is better.

Is Virtual Writing Real?

I've been writing a long time. I've also been published both in real life and in a virtual world known as Second Life. In real life, I have not earned much money for my work. In Second Life I've earned even less but since the game currency, the almighty Linden, can buy more virtual items than U.S. dollars can buy real merchandise, I am actually making out better. I can buy a designer gown for 1,000 Lindens or less (about $4 cash) and some really nice stuff is actually given away for free. But that's not why I write in a virtual world.

When I joined Second Life nearly a year ago in March 2007, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't expect to enjoy it. I just wanted to try it. I found it tough at the beginning and was only thankful that I received lots of help from the Alliance Group of librarians who have created a wonderful resource that started with one virtual island known as Info Island and now includes a group of virtual islands that are known as the Information Archipelago. I will write more about these virtual librarians in another entry.

As a librarian and writer, I had researched Second Life before I started playing by becoming a virtual resident there. I discovered that in addition to many real life businesses as well as virtual businesses, there are publications including newspapers that serve the audience of this worldwide community that now boasts 4 million or so occupants. I applied to a paper called the Metaverse Messenger and was hired as a staff writer. I began writing two columns, one geared toward new players, or newbies in SL lingo and one that profiled people who ran businesses in the game. From writing both these columns, I learned much about the people and culture of Second Life. I went on to write feature articles and cover events, particularly those hosted by the librarians on Info Island. I was offered my own virtual home to cover Info Island news, and I gladly accepted.

I am now beginning to join the several writer's groups that meet in Second Life and am learning from the real life authors who are guests or hosts of these groups. I am amazed at how real virtual writing can be and how unique a venue a virtual world can be for a writer. All fiction is, after all, virtual. It exists in our minds to be verbalized or written. Once we create it, it is real no matter where it is read.

Works in Progress

What is a work-in-progress? When you think about it, isn't everything we do, everything we are, a work-in-progress? It is easy to see a work-in-progress when a writer looks at his unfinished manuscript or a parent looks at her growing child. I know that when I see the leaps and bounds my daughter is making at 3, that she is definitely creating the adult she will be through what she is learning, the other children and adults she is meeting, the books that are read to her, the movies, television shows, and other entertainment she is watching. But as I watch her grown, I am growing, too, as I continue my work in progress as a mother.

Adults are works-in-progress, too. As we age, we still continue to learn and interact with our environments. Many seniors take up new hobbies when they retire, but even younger adults can take adult ed classes, read books on topics and areas that are new to them, travel to places their imaginations have previously only visited.

As I write my first novel, although I've been writing articles and short stories for many years, I enjoy the process of watching my characters and the plot develop. Even after the manuscript is complete, and I've edited it and hopefully published it, the story will continue as it is shared by others. It will become each reader's work-in-progress. They will get out of it what their experiences, backgrounds, and beliefs may find interesting and special, what touches them through what has touched them.

In Virtual Realities, it is very easy to change one's appearance and persona. Somewhat like a character in a book, when you participate in a virtual world such as Second Life , Entropia Universe, World of Warcraft, or many of the other multi-player online games that have attracted participants from around the world, you can be whoever you want to be. Many people choose to do in these worlds similar activities to what they do in real life. For instance, I belong to a group of librarians and educators in Second Life and also write for one of their virtual newspapers. Others, however, may role play and act out as totally different characters. In this way, they continue to develop their own works in progress, creating another facet of themselves using the platform of virtual worlds to exhibit it.

Whether you raise a child, write a book, read a book, take up a new hobby, or take up residence in a virtual community, you are further developing your own work in progress, your final copy, the one that is continually being edited by you.

Loss for Words vs. Love of Words

What's worse than a writer at a loss for words, or a reader without a book? Words have been a good part of my life since childhood. I recall my eagerness to learn how to read, how it seemed magical for me to visit other places and times through the pages of a book. I am happy to see my own 3 year old daughter, Holly, sharing this interest, even as computer programs and websites appeal to her. The library is still her favorite place which is no wonder because I work at one and take her there often. Books are just as fun for her as toys, as they were to me as a child. My favorite birthday and Christmas gifts were always books, so I make sure to provide plenty of these for her along with Barbie dolls, Dora the Explorer playsets, DVD's, and other items that will hopefully not be recalled for safety issues. Barring paper cuts, most books are pretty safe, and now that she doesn't rip, chew, or color in them, they are lasting much longer.

So what am I doing writing a blog? I thought I'd give it a try. As I said, my life has been pretty full of words. In college, I majored in English and then went on to graduate school for Library Science. During college, I was also Features Editor of the student newspaper. In my twenties and thirties, while working at the job I still currently have as a reference librarian at a public library, I continued to write as a freelancer for cat magazines and journals and also had a short-story published for a mystery anthology. I gave this up for a short time after having my daughter in 2004 and am now returning to writing both in the virtual world, Second Life, and on my own writing a novel in memory of my beloved cat, Floppy.

You can never really "lose" words, but words are less meaningful if not shared. I hope that, through this blog, I can reach those who may have similar interests as mine or who would like to provide feedback on my experiences with writing, cats, virtual worlds, and/or librarianship. Thanks for reading.