Join us at Gatsby’s night club on Rich Idiot for music, dancing and fun from the roaring 20s. Riel Radio will broadcast music. The fun begins Saturday, May 17 from 1-3 pm sl or 5-7 pm sl! We hope many of you will come and check out the Rich Idiot sim!

Rich Idiot Island and Crown Publishing, a subsidiary of Random House, are pleased to welcome bestselling author Robert Shemin and to announce a program of fun and informative events in the virtual world of Second Life.

Shemin’s recent bestselling book “How Come This Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not” came out in March 2008. Rich Idiot Island in Second Life , highlighting contrasts of wealth and poverty in the 1930s, is designed for Shemin and his readers to share the secrets of the wealthy.

Through this series of programs, Shemin will reveal the inner circles of the mega wealthy. Shemin has written a number of other bestselling books about wealth and real estate investments. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and meet the author.

He will visit the Deco Den on Rich Idiot Island to discuss his latest book with readers. You are welcome to come even if you have not read the book. The two programs will be broadcast via Internet radio on Riel Radio if you cannot attend in Second Life. If you need a teleport to the program, please message Lorelei Junot.

May 13 – 5 pm sl, 7 pm central, 8 pm eastern – Book Talk with Robert Shemin hosted by avatar Maxito Ricardo – Deco Den, Rich Idiot
May 15 – 12 pm sl, 2 pm central, 3 pm eastern – Book Talk with Robert Shemin hosted by avatar Maxito Ricardo – Deco Den, Rich Idiot

Other programs planned for Robert Shemin and Rich Idiot are available on http://www.richidiotinsecondlife.org

Second Life and the Public Good: A Community Challenge gives real rewards
Los Angeles, CA May 10, 2008

The USC Network Culture Project is hosting a Community Challenge entitled Second Life and the Public Good; request for Proposals is now available on the web at http://networkculture.usc.edu. Teams and individuals can apply to win a three month grant of L$100,000 per month with land to develop their vision for real world action.

A special international session will be held on May 12, 2008 at 9PM PST to ask questions about the new community challenge. Panelists and USC Network Culture hosts will be on hand to answer questions about this new grant cycle within Second Life on 5/12 and 5/15 at Noon at the International Island amphitheatre. Community Challenge panelists include Howard Rheingold, Rik Panganiban, Craig Wacker, Lori Bell and Randall Moss; community leaders from Second Life and social media circles.

Led by Doug Thomas, principal investigator at the USC Annenberg School of Communication, the USC Network Culture project invites the residents of Second Life to imagine new ways that virtual worlds such as Second Life can be used to make a contribution to the public good. Thomas introduced the challenge inworld: “We really wanted to put out a challenge to the various communities that make up Second Life to find ways to use a virtual world to make a difference in the physical world”.

Community Challenge proposals from groups, organizations or individuals will show how Second Life can enhance, develop, or sustain the public good. The best submissions will be selected based on how well they demonstrate the significance of virtual worlds for making an impact on society or culture. Up to three finalists will be selected by community vote to receive sizable grants for a three month development season. The Network Culture group in Second Life will help avatars track progress through the June voting cycle.

Projects may address any social need and could include conservation, human rights and international justice, global peace and security, reproductive health, digital media and learning, or juvenile justice. Finished proposals will be emailed to networkculture@gmail.com and should provide a clear description of how the project uses the abilities of Second Life to advance the project goals.

This Community Challenge is part of ongoing philanthropic research in virtual worlds by the USC Network Culture Project. Thomas notes “We are hoping this challenge will expand the possibilities and opportunities for philanthropy in virtual worlds. Building off the creativity and energy of virtual world residents, we also hope to challenge philanthropic organizations to start taking note of the possibilities that these spaces offer. We are really looking forward to the conversations, collaborations and new ideas that this challenge is sure to produce.”

For more information visit the Annenberg Amphitheatre on International Island at http://slurl.com/secondlife/International%20Island/142/55/30 or contact Evonne Heyning, USC Network Culture events producer, In Kenzo in Second Life at inkenzo@gmail.com.

Alliance and LearningTimes to Sponsor Conference on History in Virtual Worlds

On June 10, 2008 Alliance Library System, in cooperation with LearningTimes, will offer a one-day conference exploring the possibilities of using virtual worlds to teach history and to promote its appreciation. The conference, titled “Stepping into History: Exploring the Past through Virtual Worlds” will be held entirely in the virtual world of Second Life, allowing participants to attend from any location with a computer and a broadband internet connection. Attendance at the conference is limited to 60 participants, and cost is $45 USD per person. Registration is available at the website www.steppingintohistory.org.

“What if, instead of just talking or reading about history, we could actually be there?” asks John Howard, conference director and Special Projects Coordinator for Alliance. “What if instead of looking at a picture of a historical site, you could actually walk through and explore it? Previously, you could only get this experience by traveling long distances. New virtual world technology allows us to do something quite similar from our computers.”

The conference will not be lecture-based, according to Howard. Instead, participants will take “field trips” into historical locations that have been created in Second Life. They will have time to explore them on their own, then to meet and discuss what they have seen and experienced with simulation creators and other conference participants. Sites will include 19th century America, where participants may run into Abraham or Mary Todd Lincoln; Virtual Harlem, where participants will have the opportunity to hear live music as it might have been during the Jazz Age/Harlem Renaissance; and Renaissance Island, where participants can sit in on a rehearsal for a Shakespearean play in a replica of London’s Globe Theatre.

“All of our field trip sites have tons of educational resources, but we also want participants to actually experience history in various ways” says Howard. The conference will end with a panel discussion with a variety of experts, and with an opportunity for participants to attend a period ball at the Lincoln era White House.

Alliance has partnered with LearningTimes to put on this conference. In addition to helping organize the conference, LearningTimes is setting up the technology for individuals and groups to participate in the conference without having to create a Second Life account. “For those who haven’t done it, Second Life can take a little getting used to” notes John Walber, CEO of LearningTimes. “We have had great success this year in providing ‘simulcasts’ of events in second life, essentially, looking over the shoulder of a participant.” Walber notes that this should make attendance easier for more people. While not quite as “immersive,” the solution is highly interactive, and creates a recording for later playback Conference organizers will also provide an orientation for those who would like to attend the conference in Second Life, but have no prior experience with the program.

LearningTimes and Alliance have created an ongoing on-line community for participants in this and future conferences. Within this community registrants will have access to conference recordings, contribute to on-going discussions, and network with other interested people from around the world after the conference is over.

Full conference schedule and registration information is available at the conference website, http://www.steppingintohistory.org
or people may contact John Howard directly at 309.694.9200.

John S Howard (Corwin Howlett in Second Life)
Special Projects Coordinator
Alliance Library System
600 High Point Lane
East Peoria, Illinois 61611

Phone: 309.694.9200 ext. 2121
800.700.4857 ext. 2121
Fax: (309) 694-9230
Email: jhoward@alliancelibrarysystem.com
Website: www.alliancelibrarysystem.com
skype: john.s.howard7
Systems Build Community
The Alliance Library System is one of nine multitype systems cooperating to provide essential services to the citizens of Illinois.

Thanks to all who came to shop, and all who donated items! Special thanks to Katt Tomsen, Rolig Loon, & Bucky Barkley for setting up vendors for new items and donating the proceeds to the yard sale. We’ve stored away the unsold items for a future sale - so anytime you weed your inventory remember that Abbey Sideways wants your stuff!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2008
CONTACT: Carol Perryman, cp1757@gmail.com

Final Project Report for HealthInfo Island Project in Second Life Now Available!

A final project report issued today from the Alliance Library System marks the latest chapter in an exciting experiment funded by the Greater Midwest Region of the National Library of Medicine (GMR/NNLM). The project, entitled “Providing Consumer Health Outreach and Library Programs to Virtual World Residents in Second Life” provided outreach to virtual medical communities, health training and information for residents of Second Life, links to consumer health resources, one-on-one support to residents, and part-time staffing for HealthInfo Island. The project is available at http://www.alliancelibrarysyste m.com/pdf08/healthinfoislandfin alreport08.pdf

Carol Perryman, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an experienced medical and consumer health librarian, coordinated the project. She stated, ” Participation in such an environment challenges the creative imagination. What is a library collection in a place where proprietary resources are out of the question? We feel collaboration is part of the answer.”

“We are thrilled to have been part of this exciting and ground-breaking new project and providing quality health information to residents of Second Life,” said Kitty Pope, Executive Director of the Alliance Library System. “Virtual worlds hold great promise for people with chronic health conditions and for people seeking information on health.”

Working with Perryman on the project was Guus van den Brekel, Coordinator of Electronic Services, Central Medical Library, University Medical Center, Groningen. Tom Peters, CEO of TAP Information Services, evaluated the project and authored the final report.

On HealthInfo Island, the first version of World AIDS day was observed, along with a class on finding quality AIDS and HIV information, a series of presentations by health educators and support group leaders whose “real life” locations were all over the world. A “Path of Support” created by a member of the disability community called the Heron Sanctuary, displays some of the more than 70 health support groups active in Second Life. Other events included a panel discussion about design for accessibility, a presentation about grassroots activism for disability activitists, and a casual question-and –answer session with a diabetes support group and an internal medicine physician in Greece.

For more information, please contact Carol Perryman at cp1757@gmail.com

How on Virtual Earth can Wikis help Archivists?

Wikis are among the most well-known applications in the universe of
Web 2.0, but especially archivists have been quite shy in both using
and initiating them.

However lately some archives have started experimenting with wikis,
and also individual archivists or teams of archivists have started
using wikis more and more often. For their own use, and to the
advantage of their patrons: collaborating in knowledge bases, sharing
collections, asking for the Wisdom of the Crowds even!

On Sunday May 25, 1pm-2.30pm SLT (9pm-10.30pm GMT) the Archivists of
Second Life will discuss the world of wikis for their own use, and
their benefit for the general public, interested in archives and
special collections.

Three archivists will present on new wiki projects, sharing with you
their thoughts and experiences:

* Abby Nemmeth: Lone Arranger Wiki
* Archivist Llewellyn: Archivopedia, the archives wiki encyclopedia
* Elias Etchegaray: ArchiefWiki

What are the wikis about, and why are they setup? What problems were
encountered during setup, and in what way will users be able to
benefit from the wikis?

These and many more questions will be presented on, and discussed
about. The presentations take place at the Open Air Auditorium at
Cybrary City.

Everyone with an interest in archives, special collections, wikis, and
online collaboration between information professionals and patrons is
very welcome to join us for this meeting!

If you have any questions, or if you’d like some more information,
please contact Christi Janus for details.

Abbey Zenith named Director of Library Services
Abbey Zenith has been named Director of Library Services for Alliance Virtual Library.
Abbey will oversee staff and services for four islands including Info Island, Info International,
Infotainment, and Imagination Island. Abbey has been with the library for two years.

“Abbey Zenith is one of the most creative and imaginative librarians I have ever had
the pleasure to work with,” said Lorelei Junot of Alliance Library System.

An advisory board has been named which will work with Abbey on library oversight.
Hypatia Dejavu - SLL2 Reference Head & Public
Cindy Elkhart - Library Associate, Public
Rocky SLL2 Collections/Cataloging & Public
HollyJean Allen - Volunteer representative
Rolig Loon - Volunteer representative with an academic background
Stolvano Barbosa - Academic
Cat Galieo - Special library (Law)
Puglet Dancer - Academic / Chairman of the ALS Board
Abbey Zenith - Academic / Director of Library Services

Mystery Manor

Update your calendar with this revised discussion schedule for Mystery
Manor. All Discussions are at 6pm, SL in the Gazebo at Mystery Manor
Estate and led by Maxito Ricardo.

May 28 – Hard Time, Sara Paretsky
June 25 – Blond Faith, Walter Mosley
July 30 – The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett
August 27 – A Rage in Harlem, Chester Himes
September 24 – Cyprus Grove, James Sallis

Sara Paretsky, our author for May 28, has been, and continues to be, a
leading author in the female hardboiled detective genre. Hard Time is
one of her most gritty V. I. Warshawski stories. Contact Max Batra for more information.

Smart investing@your library in Second Life
Alliance Library System will launch the “Smart investing @ your library®” program, to promote investor education in libraries in central Illinois and in the virtual world of Second Life. Alliance Library System will offer programs on investing targeted at baby boomers in libraries, on a van at county fairs and festivals, and in Second Life.
In January 2008, Alliance Library System was awarded a $100,000 grant funded by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation as part of the “Smart investing @ your library®” program. Alliance Library System was one of only 13 libraries nationwide to be selected for participation.

The grant will help to build the capacity of libraries in the Alliance Library System and the virtual world of Second Life to provide effective, unbiased investor education to the community at large. With the funding, Alliance Library System will provide investing programs in communities around central Illinois, provide a Smart Investing van to spread the word at county fairs, health fairs, and library events, and to create an informational presence in the virtual world of Second Life. For information on resources and programs, consult the project website at http://smartinvestingatyourlibrary.info.

The grand opening of Investment InfoIsland in Second Life is scheduled for Sunday, June 1 from 3:00-5:00 pm Pacific; 5:00-7:00 pm central; and 6:00-8:00 pm Eastern. Speakers include Susan Saver from FINRA, Margaret Monsour from ALA, and Kitty Pope from Alliance. After the program, attendees will enjoy fireworks and a sock hop. For more
information, contact Lorelei Junot.

Rich Idiot in Second Life

Alliance Virtual Library in Second Life hosts bestselling author Robert Shemin who just published “How Come This Idiot’s RIch and I’m Not?” The following activities are
planned - more information next week!
May 13 – 5 pm sl, 7 pm central, 8 pm eastern – Book Talk with Robert Shemin hosted by avatar Maxito Ricardo – Conference Center, Rich Idiot
May 15 – 12 pm sl, 2 pm central, 3 pm eastern – Book Talk with Robert Shemin hosted by avatar Maxito Ricardo – Conference Center, Rich Idiot
June 13 – 5-7 pm sl, Swing Dance at Gatsby’s Night Club, Rich Idiot, hosted by Puglet Dancer
June 26 – 12:30-2 pm, sl, 2:30-4 central, 3:30-5 pm eastern - “Getting Rich in Real Life and Second Life” Seminar, Conference Center, Rich Idiot
June 29 - 4 pm sl, 6 pm central, 7 pm eastern – Cocktail party with author Robert Shemin” at the Rich Idiot Mansion
The Rich Idiot Island is designed with the wealth and excitement of the 1930s. Crown Publishing Group, a subsidiary of Random House, was founded during the Depression with the goal of publishing quality books at inexpensive prices. Contact Lorelei Junot for more information.

Steelhead Library Poetry Writing Workshop
Wed, May 7, 7 – 8pm
Steelhead Public Library, Steelhead
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead/123/185/24
Come enjoy the Pleasures of Composition at the SteelheadLlibrary. Dov Whiteberry (known in RL as Vermont poet and teacher David Weinstock) will lead a poetry writing workshop. No previous experience is required. If time permits, we will share the results with each other.

BIO
David Weinstock lives, writes, and teaches in Middlebury, Vermont. His poems have appeared in 2River View, Salt River Review, Free Cuisenart, Riding the Meridian, and The Journal of the American Medical Association. Contact him at david.weinstock@gmail.com.

Contact Riven Homewood or CeAaire DeCosta for more details

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Second Annual Compliments Duel, to benefit Relay for Life
May 11th, 2008
2 PM SLT
Caledon Loch Avie

JJ Drinkwater and Exrex Somme request the pleasure of your attendance (and your kind donation of Lindens to RFL) at their
Compliments Duel II - The Return of the Backhanded Compliment

The purpose of the duel, as it was last year, is to raise funds for the Relay for Life. Five Judgeships will be auctioned to the highest bidder - the first judgeship sold shall be the senior judge. The panel of Judges will determine the ultimate winner of the duel, based on such criteria as they determine. Her Grace of Loch Avie will conduct the auction, but she is also not precluded from bidding or being a judge.

Each of the duelists will pay their opponent five compliments, with the first passage du politesse determined by a coin flip made by the senior judge on the day. There is no restriction on the length, type, nature etc. of the compliments (although JJ is NOT allowed to bring a library with him to the duel).

Each Duelist will also have a tip jar present and we hope that you will donate if you like the turns of phrase produced. All proceeds from the sale of judgeships, tip jars etc. shall be paid into the Caledon Relay for Life Fund after the duel. You are also invited to cheer on your favourite, and appropriate witty comments from the audience are encouraged, nay, demanded.

In addition to the above, the office of Chevalier(e) du Politesse will be available (as all the best honorary offices traditionally are) to purchase, for the very reasonable price of L6,000. Holders of this office (in the Caledon Library Group) have the the right to display the title - “Politesse shines in”, and are authorized to improve the level of polite discourse and courtesy within and without Caledon for the upcoming year

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Story Session at the Falling Anvil: Bringing in the May
Mon, May 12, 5 – 8p:
The Falling Anvil Public House, Caledon Tamrannoch
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Tamrannoch/233/113/23/

The Lusty Month of May brings with it Maypole Dances, frolicks in the greenwood amongst the springtime flowers, and suchlike fertile and fecund shenanigans. Tammuz returns from the underworld to dance in the fields with Inanna, Persephone is freed from Hades and reunited with her mother, Demeter, and Jack-in-the-Green bids wood and meadow put forth leaf and blossom…and we all take Mom out for a nice Sunday Brunch. Come and share your stories of springtime rituals, and all that increases and multiplies.

Sponsored by the Caledon Library, the Clan of Seafarers and Storytellers, and the Storytelling Guild. Hosted by Mr. Aldo Stern

[East Peoria, IL] – Alliance Library System will launch the “Smart investing @ your library®” program, to promote investor education in libraries in central Illinois and in the virtual world of Second Life. Alliance Library System will offer programs on investing targeted at baby boomers in libraries, on a van at county fairs and festivals, and in Second Life.

In January 2008, Alliance Library System was awarded a $100,000 grant funded by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Investor Education Foundation as part of the “Smart investing @ your library®” program. Alliance Library System was one of only 13 libraries nationwide to be selected for participation.

The grant will help to build the capacity of libraries in the Alliance Library System to provide effective, unbiased investor education to the community at large. With the funding, Alliance Library System will provide investing programs in communities around central Illinois, provide a Smart Investing van to spread the word at county fairs, health fairs, and library events, and to create an informational presence in the virtual world of Second Life. For information on the project and dates of events, check out the website at http://www.smartinvestingatyourlibrary.info.

“We are thrilled to have been selected by the ALA and FINRA Investor Education Foundation for participation in this important investor education program,” said Kitty Pope, Executive Director of the Alliance Library System. “Through the grant, we are able to offer a number of new high-quality investor educations and services, enabling our libraries to become an even stronger resource for patrons looking to learn more about investment options and saving strategies.”

“Public libraries can serve as an important source of reliable information for millions of investors trying to make sense of challenging financial topics,” said FINRA Investor Education Foundation Chairman Mary Schapiro, who also serves as FINRA’s CEO. “Our Foundation is proud to partner with the ALA and to support the important investor education efforts at Alliance Library System.”

“Public libraries have always been a valuable source of information for the communities of central Illinois, and we are pleased to be able to help them expand their offerings in the area of investor education,” said ALA President Loriene Roy. “Whether choosing what type of savings plan makes most sense for a family, researching a potential stock investment or learning more about bank products, public libraries offer the needed resources to help its patrons make Smart investing decisions.”

“Smart investing @ your library®” is being administered jointly by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the ALA, and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation (formerly known as the NASD Investor Education Foundation). The program supports public libraries in their efforts to meet investor education and protection needs at the community level.

Established in 1876, the ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world. Its mission is “to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” For more information, visit www.ala.org.

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that give underserved Americans the knowledge, skills and tools necessary for financial success throughout life. To date, the FINRA Foundation has approved $14.7 million in grants and an additional $10.2 million in direct investor education programming. For details about grant programs and other FINRA Foundation initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. Created in 2007 through the consolidation of NASD and NYSE Member Regulation, FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business — from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms; writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws; informing and educating the investing public; providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms. For more information, please visit www.FINRA.org.

Congratulations to Abbey Zenith/Rhonda Trueman who has just been named Director of Library Services for Info Islands. She will directly oversee activities, events, groups and materials for Info Island, Info International, Imagination Island, and Infotainment. Abbey has been with the library since April 2006 when it began and has been involved in just about every aspect of lbirary service in the virtual worlds. I will continue to work with special projects such as Renaissance, Lincoln, Rich Idiot, Eduislands, Cybrary Islands, etc., but Abbey is in charge of direct library services. YEY Abbey! Congratulations! Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who have generously given their time and expertise to contribute to the library.

Book Discussion at Mystery Manor - Elmore Leonard’s The Hot Kid

6:00pm SL in the Gazebo at Mystery Manor

Elmore Leonard’s The Hot Kid will be the subject of discussion at this Wednesday’s Waiting for the Other Gumshoe to Drop.It is set in Oklahoma in the 1930s and the laconic hero, Deputy U.S. Marshal Carl Webster, is a western archetype more than a hardboiled detective.Still, it is an excellent example of Leonard’s skill as a writer demonstrating his pacing, ability to create the most impact with the fewest words, and write vivid, colorful characters.In fact, several critics agree that, with Leonard, what happens isn’t as important as the interaction of the characters.

The story itself follows the career of Webster beginning at age 15 when he killed his first man. Webster is the hot kid of the title - the hot shot, new guy whose exploits have attracted the attention of a True Detective reporter.

The core of the story has Webster on the trail of Jack Belmont, the ne’er-do-well son of an oil baron who would like to be more famous than Pretty Boy Floyd and started his life of crime trying to blackmail his father.

http://groups.google.com/group/librarianresearchsecondlife?lnk=gcimv

Join the google group Librarian research in second life. This is for those librarians
and others studying librarianship in second life to share research, quotes, and ideas.

Here are the upcoming virtual worlds courses through UIUC in May:

Second Life 101
Are you new to Second Life? Having trouble navigating, flying and getting dressed? If so, this course is for you. Second Life IS a whole new world, and we invite you to join Barbara (Puglet Dancer) Galik for four fun and interactive sessions that will assist you with Second Life Basics, acquaint you with educational and other great places to go, teach you how to design an avatar - virtual persona - and give you the skills you need to enjoy Second Life.

Week One: Welcome to your Second Life - Basic Skills
Week Two: Designing your Avatar
Week Three: Beyond the Basics - How to Shop, Purchase, Rent the Essentials
Week Four: All Dressed Up with Plenty of Places to Go!

Instructor: Barbara Galik (Puglet Dancer)

Audience: Open to anyone interested in learning how to get around in Second Life.
Section Three: May 6, 13, 20, 27 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm SL (US PAcific) time

Location: Info Island, Second Life
Cost: $125

Register here: https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1003298

Intermediate Virtual World Librarianship - Programming and Planning

Learn about virtual worlds in general and what libraries are doing in them. Discuss how to plan events, programs, and training in Second Life. Different types of libraries use virtual worlds for different purposes - get ideas and discuss roles for all types of libraries - public, academic, school, and special. Experience immersive learning in Second Life and how this enables librarians, students, educators, and residents to engage and live the period in addition to reading and lectures.

Week One: Virtual worlds and libraries
Week Two: Planning programs, events, and training
Week Three: Roles of different types of libraries in SL
Week Four: Introduction to Immersive Learning Environments

Instructors: Tom Peters (Maxito Ricardo), Rhonda Trueman (Abbey Zenith) Christy Confetti Higgins (Violet Portola) and JJ Jacobson (JJ Drinkwater)

Audience: Open to those who have completed the Introduction to VWL course or who have library experience in Second Life. Students should have experience navigating in Second Life.

Dates and times: May 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm SL (US Pacific) time
Location: Info Island, Second Life
Cost: $150

Register here: https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1003303

Setting Up an Educational Presence in Second Life
Looking to set up an educational presence in Second Life but don’t know where to start? Join us to learn about planning, needs assessment, goals, expectations, buying or renting land, where to find help, prefab versus building, challenges, positives, teaching tools in Second Life such as Power point, class management, groups permissions, communication, and evaluating your presence once you have it set up. We will take field trips so students can see and discuss some of the educational presences in Second Life.

Week One: Planning a presence in Second Life
Week Two: Setting up a presence in Second Life
Week Three: Managing a presence in Second Life
Week Four:Evaluating a presence in Second Life

Instructors: Lori Bell (Lorelei Junot), Rhonda Trueman (Abbey Zenith) and Tom Peters (Maxito Ricardo).

Audience: Open to anyone interested in using Second Life for educational purposes. Students should have experience navigating in Second Life.

Dates and times: May 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 7:30 - 9:30 am SL (US Pacific) time
Location: Second Life
Cost: $150

Register here: https://www.eventville.com/catalog/eventregistration1.asp?eventid=1003304

Qwaq Forums for Education, Libraries and Museums
LearningTimes, Qwaq Forums and Session Sponsors

— Monday, April 14th at 1:00 pm EDT
— Wednesday, April 23rd at 9:00 pm EDT
Join us for a live webcast featuring a demonstration of the way 3D
Virtual Worlds produced by LearningTimes and QWAQ forums can
be used for online collaboration, learning and networking. This session
will focus specifically on the needs of education institutions, libraries
and museums to develop highly interactive and immersive experiences
in 3D environments to serve clientele, train staff, and reach a broader audience.
To register, go to http://www.learningtimes.net/qwaqdemo

Join the library development/user QWAQ group:

http://groups.google.com/group /qwaqlibrary

Sci-Fi & Fantasy Portal this coming week:

Wednesday, April 16th. at 12 noon~ Book of the Month discussion
at the Portal, Info Island 1 (210-94-33)
Title: Dragons’ Fin Soup
Author: Somtow Sucharticow (Thai)
Host: Riven Homewood

Thursday, April 17th. at 12 noon~ Meet the Author
at the DREAMS FAIR on DREAMS (Dreams East 34–207-24)
The Discussion Pavillion is near a gazebo with a flowered walkway.
Author: Tristan Meriman (in SL) = Glenn Manewell (in RL)
Reading from The Flower Seller

Saturday, April 19th. at 1 pm~ Meet the Author
at the Portal, Info Island 1 (210-94-33)
Author: Tristan Meriman (in SL) = Glenn Manewell (in RL)
Reading from The Flower Seller.

Sunday, April 20th. at 9 am~ Book of the Month discussion (day change)
at the Portal, Info Island 1 (210-94-33)
Title: Dragons’ Fin Soup
Author: Somtow Sucharticow
Host: Riven Homewood

Everyone is welcome to listen and share their ideas and insights

Illuminated Manuscripts Lecture by Una Renard, at the Caledon Library
Fri, April 18, 6 – 8pm
Jack & Elaine Whitehorn Memorial Library, Caledon VictoriaCity
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20VictoriaCity/59/196

Borso d’Este rode into Rome in April, 1471 for the specific purpose of receiving from Pope Paul II his investiture as the first duke of Ferrara. He carried with him on his journey a portable library which had been commissioned especially for this triumphant occasion. Among the manuscripts he brought were a breviary, a copy of the Legends of the Saints, a missal, and the crown jewel his traveling collection; the sumptuous two-volume bible, known as the Bibbia di Borso.

This Bible was one of the most lavishly embellished manuscripts ever produced and it had taken an entire workshop of illuminators six years to complete. The Bibbia measured 375 by 265 millimeters and contained 604 parchment folios. The manuscript was originally bound in gold brocade and adorned with gilded silver clasps, cornices and medallions. Such a collection of manuscripts would have amounted to a splendid display. The Marchese ordered them all recovered or rebound for the journey, which suggests that although they were primarily intended for Borso’s personal use, they were also meant to be viewed by members of the Papal court.

While we normally think of books as being private objects, the lavishly illuminated Bibbia di Borso was intended as a very public expression of princely magnificence and piety intended to win favor with the Pope. This 15th-century Bible also served as a reflection of the magnificence of his court as a whole. We will explore the complex relationship between Borso as patron, this bible, and the courtly space of the library as they’re elucidated by the illuminations within the Bibbia.

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Book of Practical Cats Discussion
West Ireland Library, led by JJ Drinkwater
Sat, April 19, 1 – 2pm
http://slurl.com/secondlife/West%20of%20Ireland/44/174/26

Eliot’s cat poems (originally composed to amuse his friends) amply demonstrate his genius with metrical forms. They also show us the author in a playful mood, instead of the high seriousness that characterizes the works with which he revolutionized poetry in the early 20th c. He was a close observer of cats and their ways, and captures feline types to perfection.

All fans of Eliot’s works, lovers of The Literature of The Feline , and literary schmoozers are welcome to join us, as are likewise all Bravo Cats, Gumby Cats, Pollicles & Pekes, whether they have read the work or not — and everyone is invited to attend in their Furred, Tailed, and Whiskered Best

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Steelhead Library Story Hour with Gilbert Sapwood
Sun, April 20, 6 – 7pm
Steelhead City Hall
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead/118/58/28

Join noted storyteller Gilbert Sapwood for an hour of “Jack Tales” from his vast repertoire. Following the performance, Gilbert will answer questions regarding traditional tales and the art of storytelling, as time permits.

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Story Session at the Falling Anvil — Free for all, all tales are welcome
Mon, April 21, 5 – 8pm
Falling Anvil Public House, Caledon Tamrannoch
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Tamrannoch/233/113/23/

Unlike most of our session, this evening has no particular theme or subject. All Storytellers, Bards, Griots, Tellers of Tall Tales, Yarn Spinners, and Creative Liars are welcome to join us with the stories of their own choosing.

Sponsored by the Caledon Library, the Clan of Seafarers and Storytellers, and the Storytelling Guild. Hosted by Mr. Aldo Stern

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Lincoln Grand Ball for this evening has been cancelled.
We apologize for any misunderstandings or inconvenience this event has caused. Alliance Library System

Qwaq Forums for Education, Libraries and Museums
LearningTimes, Qwaq Forums and Session Sponsors

— Tuesday, April 8th at 11:00 am EDT
— Monday, April 14th at 1:00 am EDT

Join us for a live webcast featuring a demonstration fo the way 3D Virtual Worlds
produced by LearningTimes and QWAQ Forums can be used for online collaboration, learning
and networking. This session will focus specifically on the needs of education institutions,
libraries and museums to develop highly interactive and immersive experiences in 3D
environments to serve constituents, train staff, and reach a broader audience.

The sessions — which will be led by LearningTimes staff — will feature live tours of 3D worlds developed in
Qwaq Forums and will last about 60 minutes each. There will be ample time to ask questions in real time
online during the webcasts. If you plan on participating as a group from one computer, you need only register one person

To register for this program, please go to http://www.learningtimes.net/qwaqdemo

For more information on QWAQ which is based upon Open Croquet, see http://www.qwaq.com/

If you have questions about the session contact John@learningtimes.net

The Alliance Library System and the Second Life Info Island Archipelago are pleased to announce a two year
anniversary celebration on April 12 and 13. A number of activities are planned and everyone is invited to celebrate!

“Two years ago, we started in a small rented building,” stated Kitty Pope, Executive Director of the Alliance Library
System, “and today there are over 40 library, university, non-profit, and education islands which make up the Archipelago including
over 50 libraries and over 75 educational groups. The virtual world of Second Life has given libraries the opportunity
to pioneer new services and promote existing ones and to make partnerships with agencies they might never have
met in the real world.”

The highlight event of the weekend is an historic ball at Land of Lincoln on the White House North Portico from 5-7 pm SL
on Saturday April 12.. The event will feature period music, dancing, fireworks and a dramatization of the firing on Ft. Sumter,
which took place on April 12th, 1861 and was the first engagement of the U.S. Civil War. Abraham and Mary Lincoln are
expected to attend. The public is invited.

This event is being held to kick-off fund-raising to help pay for virtual Land of Lincoln, a 3-D immersive environment devoted
to teaching about, and letting individuals experience, 19th-century America and the places where Lincoln lived and worked.
Visitors may tour a replica of the Lincoln White House, Lincoln’s Springfield home, a representative southern plantation house
and more. New to Land of Lincoln is the Memorial Cemetery, where prominent persons and individual soldiers are remembered.
Visitors to Memorial Cemetery can click on gravestones and read the stories of the person remembered there.

Actual fund-raising will take the form of a sale of war bonds. Wear bonds supporting either the Union or Confederacy may
be purchased, with all proceeds supporting the costs of creating and maintaining virtual Land of Lincoln. Visitors
buying at least 1000 Lindens (Second Life currency equal to about $4.00) will receive as a gift either a period dress gown or
working civil war cannon. To make it more fun, there will be a competition to see whether the Union or the Confederacy can sell
more bonds. If the Union wins, a celebration will be held at the Lincoln White House; if the Confederacy attracts more funds
the celebration will be at Mary’s Grove Plantation house. (Note: We know that no reasonable person wants to bring back the
days when human slavery was an accepted part of American (or any) society. This contest is envisioned as a fun way to
encourage donations and allow avatars to express regional pride. We hope that visiting the virtual Land of Lincoln and its exhibits
will promote an awareness of the history and lessons of slavery in the United States.)

Other Events For the Celebration:
April 12th

Infotainment Island - A party at the Jazz Cat! 3 - 5 PM SLT
Land of Lincoln - A grand ball! 5-7 pm SLT

April 13th

Info Island International - Scavenger Hunt - 9-11 AM SLT
Info Island - Planned events between Noon - 2 PM SLT
Speakers: Claudia Linden, Kitty Pope, Puglet Dancer, DJ Merck Forger and fireworks!
Renaissance Island - A Spring Rant with Gabriel Riel and Riel Radio - 5-7 PM SLT

For more information on weekend events, please contact Lorelei Junot in world,
Lori Bell in real world - lbell@alliancelibrarysystem.com

From the blog of Barbara Galik/Puglet Dancer

The Library received an Innovative Teaching grant this year to build an island on Second Life and explore the possibilities for education and outreach. We are ready to open the island up officially and will kick it off on Sunday, 30 March 2008, with a concert from Professor Beliveau, known as The Professor in Second Life and as Dr. Ed Lamoureux in real life, or first life. The concert will begin at 11:00 a.m. on the roof of the Student Center and features some of The Professor’s original work, including one about Bradley. You can spot the Student Center by the huge Dance sign and the picture of squirrels playing football, made for us by Judge Canning, a BU alum.

In addition to the concert, we have several sites you may want to see, including a Shinto Shrine and replicas of the library and, more importantly, the Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse and the Lydia Moss Bradley House. We also have kiosks around the Founder’s Circle, with our own Lydia Moss Bradley statue, representing each of the Colleges. You can click on a banner in the kiosk and get a note card giving you information about that college. You can also teleport from the kiosk to that college’s building on our Second Life Campus. We have a winter wonderland complete with polar bears, a snow globe that you can walk into and an ice skating rink with free skates.

We have also decided to feature the work our students and share their talents and knowledge with the world. Below is a list of the exhibits and where they are located on the campus.

On the campus grounds–Joseph Benedict Greenhut display, created by students in the Graphic History course which was a collaboration between HIS 303 (Urban History) and ART 405 (Graphic Information Sytems)

Student Center–Art work by Phoebe Johnson and the final photography portfolios of graduating seniors on the first floor. The second floor has games you can play, including chess, checkers, air hockey, pool and darts.

Cullom-Davis Library–Award winning photos from the Study Abroad competition is on the second floor.

Education and Health Sciences–First floor has poster created by Ashleigh Johnson for an independent study on nutrition. Third floor is dedicated to the Grief Curriculum created by Dr. Lori Russell-Chapin’s ELH620 class.

Engineering–Viewers show photos of the bridge construction event sponsored by Civil Engineering and of the formula race car event from Mechanical Engineering. There is also a viewer showing pictures of a 1967 Aston Martin which is being converted by the Senior Design Team 6 into an alternative fuel vehicle to compete in the Great Race.

Liberal Arts and Sciences–Viewer showing a museum exhibit on the Shelton Gang prepared the Graphic History course is on the first floor. There is also an exhibit featuring covers, art work and poetry from Broadside, a student creative publication.

Slane Communication and Fine Arts–Viewer shows a museum exhibit presentation on Bartonville hospital prepared for the Graphic History course.

Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse–Viewers with pieces from the publication Victory, Honor, Glory and pictures of our basketball teams.

We invite you to come, look around, learn a little, and have some fun. If you have any questions or need any help, please let me or one of the following librarians know: Denise Johnson, Skip Burhans, and Todd Spires. We all have avatars in Second Life and would be glad to help you. If you are in Second Life and would like to be part of the Bradley University Group, please let me know and I will add you. See ya in world.

Have a look at the introductory short movie about the InfoIsland Universe at HealthInfoISland.blip.tv!

Infoisland Universe

I am introducing the new Infoisland Universe ( www.netvibes.com/infoisland) as additional “website” to the infoisland blog. It is about using web 2.0 technology and tools to make WHAT we have, and what is said about us, visible, findable and searchable.

Introduction Netvibes
At www.Netvibes.com you can start an online personal start page and arrange a unlimited range of tools in the form of “widgets”, comparable with iGoogle or Pageflakes.
WebLinks, Rss-News feeds, video’s, slides, pictures, calender, mail and much more, including the possibility to create on the fly self-made widgets with (pieces of) html, flash etc.

I see great use of library widget in personal startpage tools and am developing this in my own university medical center library.
This personal start page is only visible for you. So far nothing special, but Netvibes offers everybody to PUBLISH (a selection of your and other web-) content to a special webpage, and they call it an UNIVERSE.
All information is visible for everybody, and all available widgets can be used directly from that site, like search tools, or be placed -by individuals- on their own personal Netvibes startpage or blog.

• It would need just a few interested people to think about what else to include to make this Universe a great “showcase/ toolbox” for InfoIsland services, events etc.
  I am offering to take care of updating and maintenance in this phase, but would advice to have one or two people that can do this as well.
• When people are publishing on the Infoisland blog or the Drupal site, they should consider IF and HOW it could be added to the Universe.
• There a special directory of user-created widgets, tabs and universes, http://eco.netvibes.com which I have created and published for my library and the medical library community a range of widgets.
  See: http://eco.netvibes.com/users/9148

Are you interested in learning more about the virtual world of Second
Life? Would you like to learn more about librarianship opportunities in
Second Life? Are you planning to work with a class in Second Life? If
so, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University
of Illinois, invites you to join us in one or both of the following
courses. They are open to anyone interested in Second Life.

Course title: Introduction to Virtual World Librarianship

What is it like to work as a librarian in the virtual world of Second
Life (SL)? What skills and knowledge are needed? What resources are
available? This is a hands-on course that will introduce you to providing
reference services and building collections and exhibits in Second Life,
to planning programs and events, and to the skills needed for the 21st
century librarian in a virtual world.

Week One: Introduction to Course and Reference in SL
Week Two: Collections, Resources, and Exhibits in SL
Week Three: Management and Programs in SL
Week Four: Skills for 21st Century Librarians in Virtual Worlds
Instructors: S. Thompson (Hypatia Dejavu), Rhonda Trueman (Abbey
Zenith), Lori Bell (Lorelei Junot) and JJ Jacobson (JJ Drinkwater)

Audience: Open to anyone interested in learning more about libraries
and other information resources and services in Second Life. Students
should feel comfortable in Second Life.

Dates and times: April 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm SL
(US Pacific) time
Location: Info Island, Second Life
Cost: $125

For additional information and to register:
http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/VW/Intro.html

Course title: Working with a Class in Second Life

Join Dr. Bryan Carter (Bryan Mnemonic) in this NEW course that will
help librarians and instructors learn how to work with a class in Second
Life including hardware and software requirements, orientation, faculty
and student mindset change, establishing course objectives, finding and
creating content, creating meaningful projects, evaluating student
work, action learning, grants, managing a sim-island, and collaborative
opportunities.

Week One: Setting up a class in Second Life
Week Two: The Pedagogy of Second Life
Week Three: Student Projects
Week Four: Managing a Project/Sim

Audience: Open to librarians and educators interested in using Second
Life for educational purposes. Students should feel comfortable
navigating in Second Life.

Dates and times:: April 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm SL (US
Pacific) time
Location: Second Life
Cost: $150

For additional information and to register:
http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/VW/class.html

Marianne Steadley
Continuing Professional Development Program Director
501 E. Daniel St. Champaign IL 61820
217/244-2751
Fax: 217/244-3302