Second Life Libraries are Great!!!

Second Life Libraries are a great concept and the sooner we move to them the better. It’s an inevitable consequence of Second Life itself, as after Second Life clubbing, holidaying, boutique shopping and real estate dealing, Second Life education and careers must surely follow.

A Second Life library can offer an extremely attractive Noosa- style resort like ambiance, with the Pacific Ocean crashing on golden sands on three sides of the building, and the subtropical jungle visible on another, quite unlike the grim buildings that we currently occupy in Melbourne. In fact we can eventually abandon brick and concrete buildings altogether, with their tatty collections of printed materials and ugly plastic furniture.

Within our virtual library we can deliver virtual reference, create virtual displays of art and valuable materials, present virtual lectures by famous intellectuals, artists and designers, attach a superb virtual theatre, cinema and restaurant as well as offering virtual child care to the virtual families. We can create virtual relationships with the world’s leading museums, galleries and institutions. The library staff will not be aging, graying and overweight, no, they will be young, athletic and beautiful, just like the clients. I imagine a team of blond dancing queen reference staff wearing pink jumpsuits with sequined belts, dancing from floor to floor, fielding questions with ease.

I am very excited about Second Life libraries, and admire the attempts that have been made to date, but these surely are early Second Life days.