SECOND LIFE LIBRARY BUSINESS PLAN
JUNE 2006 - JUNE 2007
May 2006 DRAFT
Business Plan Committee
Patrick Witherspoon, Chair, Advisory Committee Cerulean Vespulia Codalisa Levitt Eiseldora Reisman Rain Noonan Ray Lightworker BlueWings Hayek Planetneutral Fackler Maxito Ricardo Lorelei Junot
Alliance Library System Executive Director: Kitty Pope
Introduction and Background:
The Alliance Second Life Library Citizen Advisory Committee and librarians are pleased to present the 2006-2007 Business Plan for the Second Life Library one-year pilot project. Activities, programs, and services are occurring more quickly than anticipated. The Citizen Advisory Committee recommended the development of a Business Plan and planning document to guide us in the development and implementation of the project and also to better share with librarians and others what it is we are trying to accomplish.
The virtual world business is booming. Google recently announced that they are entering the online virtual world arena as more and more people of all ages are spending more time online in these virtual worlds and games. Every week, new worlds for teens, adults, and even children are being announced. For instance, General Mills advertises a world called Millsbury on their cereal boxes where "kids rule." There.com is a new world for teens where they create avatars, build homes, businesses, and buy things. Second Life opened in 2003 and Teen Second Life was opened just one year ago.
Web-based services in libraries are growing. Libraries are duplicating services offered in the traditional library to the web: periodical articles, e-books and audio books, downloadable video, virtual reference services, and more.
Educators, businesses, and non-profit agencies such as Tech Soup are establishing a presence in virtual worlds like Second Life. A recent front-page article in "Business Week" highlighted several people who make a real life living by doing business in Second Life. We feel it is important to continue the development and expansion of library services in physical spaces and on the Internet to virtual worlds where more and more people are participating. Second Life has over 200,000 subscribers from all over the world. Just as business and education are moving into virtual worlds, to remain viable and to keep up, libraries need to do the same thing.
The Second Life Library(SLL) project was conceived in April 2006 as an Alliance Library System Innovation Department project to reach out to users who are online in the Second Life environment but who might not otherwise use the library. We also need to provide services to users where they are in many places: our local community, Second life, Google Earth, World of Warcraft. Alliance Library System is a multitype regional library system located in East Peoria, Illinois with approximately 260 libraries of all types over a 14,000 square mile area. Originally, the virtual library was scheduled to open in June 2006 with limited hours and service. When the project was announced, there was great excitement in the biblioblogosphere. To date, more than 100 librarians from all over the world have joined the Google group related to the SLL Project and a core group of 10-12 librarians already providing services and programs. Because of the interest, the library started providing programs and training for residents and librarians involved in the project earlier than initially planned. Many of these librarians have spent countless hours of donated time to assist the library in getting started.
The library purchased initial land and buildings to provide basic services. Since that time an "island" with a great deal of space has been donated and Alliance Library System will cover the monthly costs for the island (65,000 sqm) with an educational discount and funding from "Libraries Matter" fundraising project. Other non-profit groups have approached the library about collaborating on services and programs to create an educational and informational presence in Second Life. We have also received several donations for services and facilities.
Vision:
To serve the citizens of an online world and build community using traditional and non-traditional library services and serving as a model for the twenty-first century library to determine how virtual library services will affect traditional libraries.
Mission:
The mission of the Second Life Library is to: * Explore the issues of providing library services in a virtual world * Evaluate services currently offered by real world libraries in the light of features offered in virtual reality environments and the information needs of VR residents. * Examine how libraries will remain relevant when more business and education activities take place virtually * Promote the real library and online library services to residents of Second Life * Learn what kinds of library services are desired in virtual space
Goals and Objectives
I. To examine and evaluate the provision of materials in Second Life a. Research formats of information sources in Second Life. b. Develop a collection policy for Second Life Library. c. Evaluate use of these formats in Second Life. d. Collect, publish, and make available works of Second Life residents
II. To create a cultural location in Second Life with library services, programs, and materials a. Create a relevant, educational, informational and fun location within Second Life which will attract residents b. Become a gathering place for residents c. Create a unique and valuable place for Second Life residents
III. To form strategic partnerships with other related non-profit organizations in Second Life and outside of Second Life d. Collaborate on services and projects e. Form a planning team with representatives of each group f. Work together to evaluate the project and its future
IV. Seek effective ways of fundraising to grow the project to maintain the library after the one year a. Form a group for fundraising b. Try different methods of fundraising in and out of world c. Write grants to seek continued funding for project d. Hire a project coordinator by January 2007
V. To form a citizen advisory committee to work with the Library staff a. Seek citizen volunteers to meet on a monthly basis to provide advice and input to the library b. Use different ways of soliciting feedback from Second Life residents to improve services at the library
VI. Build a qualified staff with various expertise to provide library services a. Recruit librarians to become involved in project b. Involve librarians in the activities that interest them and benefit the library c. Develop an hierarchy for communication, responsibility, and assignments for librarians d. Investigate ways to compensate librarians for their efforts in-world and for promoting programs in real life: i.e. virtual trophies, certificates at conferences, etc. e. Investigate ways to recognize libraries which allow staff time to work on the project
VII. To offer reference and information services to residents of Second Life a. Investigate involvement in a virtual reference project such as OCLC Question Point or tutor.com b. To provide quick access to a wide variety of library materials and resources c. Investigate trial of resources d. Staff reference desk several hours per day e. Create mechanism which residents can use such as instant messaging when a staff member is not available f. Investigate what kinds of reference questions are asked and what resources are used to answer them g. Investigate ways that reference services are useful in the virtual world and what this means
VIII. To utilize the technology available "in-world" to provide information and to bring "out of world" library resources to Second Life a. Explore what technologies work and do not work in Second Life - i.e. audio formats, video formats, training formats for training b. Develop expertise on staff to develop effective training and programs using technology c. Work closely with Second Life Education group to advocate for needed technology in-world to improve services
IX. To chronicle the progress of the project through regular contributions to blog, flicker account, other web and print-based publications a. Post news regularly b. Recruit members to post to blog c. Encourage members to post pictures to Flickr
X. To publicize library services to residents "in-world" a. Write weekly column for "Metaverse Messenger" b. Place events in event area c. Send information to other appropriate groups and publications d. Develop kiosks to place throughout "Second Life" with latest programs and news
XI. To offer relevant and appropriate programs of interest to Second Life residents a. Offer a variety of literary, educational, informational and entertainment programs for residents b. Develop relevant materials for the library on program topics c. Make contacts with SL residents to give programs d. Provide meeting space for interest groups
XII. Marketing plan for libraries a. Recruit libraries for project b. Develop brochure to encourage library participation; distribute at ALA and other conferences c. Develop other promotional materials for libraries when they have joined such as posters, bookmarks, web information to encourage their patrons to use Second Life Library d. Develop a fee structure for libraries that wish to participate to cover costs
XIII. Teen Library a. Support the development of Teen Second Life Library b. Form a group to work with Blue Wings Hayek and Ray Lightworker on the development of the Teen Library to open in November 2006 c. Collaborate on publicity materials, programs, and fee structure
XIV. Other Library Operations a. Provide space for a medical library b. Provide health information resources c. Investigate other types of special libraries relevant to Second Life
XV. Evaluation a. Hire an evaluator to write an evaluative report due June 30, 2007. b. Develop methods to seek evaluation by Second Life citizens, advisory committee, and librarians involved in project. c. Determine future direction for Second Life Library.
This is a really good start at defining the Second Life Library, but it's not a business plan. Without a lot more detail, it's essentially a wish list... and that's an essential starting point.
To become a business plan, each element would have to be fleshed out with specific deliverables and timeframes, along with plans to reach those objectives, with quantitative and qualitative criteria for defining success. The biggest thing I see missing from this document, especially if fund raising is one of the objectives, is any financial data i.e. expense and revenue projections.
Beyond these general comments I have a few specific issues to raise about it and I'll try to give a more comprehensive reply within the next few days.
But I want to make it clear that I'm not being critical of the work done so far; quite the contrary. This is a clear and concise overview of the Library's plans that should serve an essential purpose in guiding the Library's ongoing development.
Gonzo Mandelbrot (aka Shaun Lynch)