Alliance Virtual Library

Alliance Virtual Library, coordinated by the Alliance Library System and staffed by hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, has been named as oneof 10 finalists for the Linden Prize which will be announced on April 30. For more information on the award and the finalists, check out this url: https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2009/04/23/announcing-thefinalists-for-the-linden-prize Linden Lab received over 230 applications for the award from all over the world which illustrate creative and diverse uses of the virtual world of Second Life, with compelling impact that is both broad and deep. The winner will receive a $10,000 US dollars prize. The award is for an innovative in-world project that improves the way people work, learn and communicate in their daily lives outside of the virtual world. The award is intended to align with Linden Lab’s company mission–to connect all people to an online world that advances the human condition. For more information contact Lori Bell at ALS, [email protected]

AVL Second Life Text for award The Alliance Virtual Library (AVL), an international collaborative community, opened in April 2006 and has experienced phenomenal growth, innovation, and development since that time. From a small rented space, the AVL and its partners have grown into an Info Archipelago of over 50 islands with over 1100 self-identified librarians and 2000 "friends of the library." Under the direction of Alliance Library System Executive Director Kitty Pope, Alliance Library System coordinates the exciting activities, programs, services , and innovations of the AVL. The project is staffed by volunteers from all over the world and funded through a combination of grants, donations, events and conferences, and rental of community spaces. Within Second Life and the virtual world community, AVL is a much emulated model of community, creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Info Island was the first island and is the center of the Info Archipelago of over 50 library and partner islands. Info Island is home to interactive library collections and exhibits, an outdoor auditorium where many programs and discussions are held; Mystery Manor; the SciFi Fantasy Portal; Peace Park. There are five "core" library islands including Info, Info International, Infotainment, Illumination and Imagination. Live reference services are offered more than 80 hours per week by global volunteers answering over 300 questions per week. Magical Imagination Island has gardens, mazes, Mythica, and Rachelville and is home to information, exhibits and programs about children's literature. Through several contracts from the National Library of Medicine, AVL has built Health InfoIsland with medical and consumer health libraries, and numerous exhibits and programs on how to locate accurate health information. Virtual Ability Island contains a Second Life

orientation center for individuals with disabilities and chronic health problems. The new Karuna, an island for AIDS information and community debuted in December 2008. AVL has pioneered a variety of immersive learning environments including Renaissance Island, which features housing and shops of the Elizabethan period built by educators and residents; a replica of the Globe Theater, our own Henry VIII, and events and entertainment of the period including balls, jousting, theater, and more. In honor of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial in 2009, AVL created "Land of Lincoln" which has a period White House and furnishings, a typical plantation with interactive resources on slavery, a nineteenth century village, and the opportunity to talk and dance with Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln. This fall, Bradburyville opened honoring the life and work of author Ray Bradbury. There is a walk in book of "Fahrenheit 451," a carnival with rides from "Something Wicked This Way Comes," a multimedia Bradbury Museum, and a Bradbury Palladium theater with a solar system. Investing InfoIsland contains interactive stations on investing and saving targeted at baby boomers and hosts programs, resources, and book discussions on saving and investing. Eduislands 1-6 were created for educators who wanted to work together and be housed near other educators, libraries and non-profits. Cybrary City 1 and 2 , Talis Cybrary Island, and Cybrary Square provide a global community of libraries who want to build presences in virtual worlds and offer services and collections. AVL also hosts non-credit continuing education courses on virtual worlds for librarians and educators and conferences like "Stepping into History in Virtual Worlds" to introduce and highlight the activities happening in the Info Archipelago and other places in Second Life. The AVL and the members of the Info Archipelago are acknowledged innovative pioneers in the development and implementation of libraries and educational programs and services in virtual worlds. The global partnerships, volunteers and efforts have been nothing short of amazing! Lori Bell Director of Innovation Alliance Library System 600 High Point Lane East Peoria, IL 61611 (309)694-9200 ext. 2128 skype: lbell927 [email protected] [email protected] "Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries" http://books.infotoday.com/books/VirtualWorlds.shtml