Get a (Second) Life!: Prospecting for Gold in a 3-D World

Second Life is a virtual world that's entirely built and owned by its residents. This vast digital continent is teeming with people, entertainment, and opportunities. It offers museums, concerts, immersive learning environments, a 19th-century world, and more. The Alliance Library System is one of the nine regional multitype library systems in Illinois that provides services to 259 libraries in a 14,000-square mile area. In April 2006, ALS established a library in Second Life. Through the Alliance Second Life Library project, a number of librarians from all over the globe are taking second lives and jobs in the Second Life 3-D virtual world library. It is also discovered that the residents in Second Life appreciated having an in-world access to the ALS services and materials. One of the amazing things about the Second Life Library is that everyone who is working on it is a volunteer. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges of building and maintaining the Second Life Library.