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service Reference service in Second Life: Reference in Second Life an overview Lili Luo School of Library and Information Science, San Jose State University, San Jose´, California, USA Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how reference service is provided in the 3D virtual world, Second Life (SL), and to further the professional understanding of the newest reference “frontier” and its impact on the library reference world. Design/methodology/approach – A survey study was conducted to examine the nature and practice of reference service provided by volunteer reference practitioners in SL. Different aspects of SL reference were studied, including types of reference questions, types of reference sources, communication methods, reference competencies and differences between SL reference and real life reference. Findings – The paper reveals that, as an independent service point, the SL reference desk serves mostly SL-related information needs and reference librarians rely heavily on their personal knowledge to answer users’ questions. One distinct feature of the SL reference desk is its social nature. It functions both as a place for social gathering and a place for information and reference service. Practical implications – This study investigates various aspects of SL reference service and introduces the new reference development to a larger audience. Findings from this study will help practitioners who are interested in adopting new technologies in reference work obtain a thorough understanding of SL reference and its value to their respective communities, and hence, design better virtual services for users. Originality/value – This study is the first study to systematically examine reference activities in SL and present in-depth views on the nature and practice of SL reference.
289 Received 8 March 2008 Revised 12 May 2008, 16 May 2008 Accepted 18 May 2008
Keywords Internet, Video games, Reference services, Research methods Paper type Research paper
Introduction Second Life (SL) is an internet-based 3D virtual reality game where people can interact with each other through virtual avatars that could engage in various motions such as sit, walk, and fly. An avatar is a 3D digital figure that people create to represent themselves in the virtual world. A downloadable computer client called the SL viewer enables its users, or “residents” in SL terminology, to enter into the 3D virtual world, and to “explore, meet other residents, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade items and services with one another”(Wikipedia, 2008). Since its advent in 2003, it has attracted a large user population. According to the statistics at Quancast.com, the SL web site receives an average of 156,294 unique visits per month from the USA (Quancast, 2008). As of February 2008, users had created more than 12 million avatars in SL (Linden Lab, 2008). As an early adopter of new technologies, the library profession has taken notice of SL and established a prominent presence there. A number of libraries have created virtual facilities in SL to serve the virtual user community, with many librarians
Reference Services Review Vol. 36 No. 3, 2008 pp. 289-300 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0090-7324 DOI 10.1108/00907320810895378
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spending significant time developing avatars, open services and infrastructure (Kirriemuir, 2006). In addition, a new form of reference service has emerged in the SL library world. A group of librarian pioneers have been contributing to the library community in SL by providing information assistance to SL users on a voluntary basis. They take turns to staff the SL reference desk located in an open space in Info International Island[1] and invest a total number of 80 hours each week. The reference desk is not affiliated with any physical library and is simply a platform for the provision of SL reference service. As indicated in Figure 1, the SL reference desk resembles a physical reference desk. The on-duty librarians usually stands near the reference desk with the label “Reference Library” or “Reference Staff” hovering over their head, so that users arriving at the reference desk can easily identify them. To ask a question, users can use any of the multiple communication options provided by SL (chat, IM and voice) to communicate with the librarian. Since the birth of the reference desk in August 2006, it has been widely used in SL. In 2007, the SL reference desk received close to 8,000 questions (Dejavu, 2008). However, as the most recent reference development, SL reference has not gained much representation in the reference literature. In the hope of generating more awareness of the service, this article presents the findings of a study that investigates the nature and practice of SL reference and discusses how providing SL reference both simulates and differs from providing reference service in real life. Literature review The literature on libraries in SL is quite young, focusing primarily on the introduction of SL and SL activities in which libraries are involved. In April 2006, the Alliance Library System, a consortium of 253 Illinois libraries, created the first virtual library in SL (Grassian and Trueman, 2007; Bell, Pope, Peters and Galik, 2007). This endeavor was soon joined by a number of other libraries and led to the establishment of Info Archipelago, the 17-island library world in SL where libraries and library partners not only promote existing resources and services to the virtual community but also build new projects that take advantage of the immersive environments of SL and advance
Figure 1. A snapshot of the SL reference desk
virtual library services to a new level (Bell, Pope and Peters, 2007; Swanson, 2007). The Renaissance Island is an example of such new projects. It is created by a collaborative effort among multiple libraries and provides a venue for learning about the Renaissance age through historical role-playing or simply observation (Bell, Pope, Peters and Galik, 2007). Aside from libraries’ involvement in SL, the literature also presents discussions of SL’s potential in enhancing library work. The most acknowledged value of SL is that it provides an environment for collaboration and networking among libraries, librarians, and library schools from all over the world. Collaborative efforts produce projects like the aforementioned Renaissance Island that give library services a new layer of meaning in the virtual world, and networking events bring together librarians beyond geographic limitations and strengthen their professional growth (Hurst-Wahl, 2007; Grassian and Trueman, 2007; Bell, Pope, Peters and Galik, 2007). In the meantime, librarians also perceive SL as an opportunity to be creative in providing library services, to rethink space for physical library arrangement, and to support educational uses of SL and other virtual activities (Hildreth, 2007; Floyd et al., 2007; Bell, Pope, Peters and Galik, 2007). Compared to the efforts on introducing all sorts of actual libraries’ engagements in SL, little has been done to study the reference services provided by volunteer librarians at the SL reference desk. As of this writing, there has been only one published study (Erdman, 2007) that discusses the history and mechanism of SL reference and the challenges it faces. In this study, Erdman observed at the SL reference desk and concluded that most of the reference questions were about SL, and SL reference librarians were expected to stay current with SL trends and new skills. Erdman’s study offers an introductory view into the virtual world of reference in SL, but it is based on personal observations and lacks support from empirical data. In order to fill the blank in the literature and advance the professional understanding of SL reference, this article presents the findings of a study that systematically examines various aspects of SL reference practice such as librarians’ motivation to volunteer at the SL reference desk, types of questions received at the SL reference desk, sources used in answering SL reference questions, and how SL reference is different from real life reference services. Methodology Study population and sampling design Since the study seeks to investigate the reference practice in SL, the study population consisted of all the librarians who volunteer at the SL reference desk. The judgmental sampling technique was used in selecting a sample from the population. Judgmental sampling is a type of non-probability sampling in which the units to be observed are selected on the basis of the researcher’s judgment about which ones will be the most useful or representative (Babbie, 2006). An educated judgment was made that SL reference volunteers were likely to be members of the Alliance Library Google Group listserv, which was an important communication venue for people involved in the SL library world. Hence, the sample was selected from members of this listserv.
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The decision to use a non-probability sampling technique in sampling design was based on the fact that it is impossible to identify individual members of the population of SL reference volunteers. There are no accessible directories or indexes that keep track of librarians volunteering at the SL reference desk. Thus, only non-probability sampling design was feasible for this study. The downside of a sample selected using a non-probability method is that it is not necessarily representative of the study population. However, this study is exploratory in nature, and generalizability of findings is not the primary objective of exploratory studies (Babbie, 2006). Data collection instrument A web-based survey questionnaire was developed to collect information about the provision of reference service in SL (see the Appendix, Figure A1). A message was sent to the Alliance Library Google Group listserv. This message contained the survey URL and called for SL reference desk volunteers to participate in the survey. Results Length of time volunteered in SL reference A total number of 21 responses were collected, among which 20 were from current SL reference desk volunteers, and one from a former volunteer who only staffed the reference desk as part of a class assignment. The current SL reference desk volunteers contributed an average of 2.4 hours each week to help SL users in their information seeking process. By the time of the survey, as indicated by Figure 2, the majority of them had worked at the reference desk for four to nine months. Motivation for volunteering in SL reference When asked about the motivation to volunteer at the SL reference desk, respondents provided a variety of responses; the most popular motivation (n ¼ 8) was personal enjoyment of providing reference services in SL, as indicated in Figure 3. Respondents were also drawn to the SL reference desk because they were interested in exploring new ways of providing reference services (n ¼ 6) or new environments for online learning (n ¼ 2). Desire to help others was another reason for the respondents to get involved in SL reference (n ¼ 3) as well as a personal interest in the 3D virtual
Figure 2. Length of time working at the reference desk in SL
reference environment (n ¼ 3). The opportunity to mingle with peers also motivated some respondents to work at the reference desk (n ¼ 3); one of them was currently looking for a job and s/he hoped that networking via SL reference might help. Two respondents reported that they were not librarians in real life, and they volunteered because they enjoyed chatting with the reference librarians at the SL reference desk and decided to contribute. Another respondent joined the SL reference service because s/he was a cataloging librarian in real life and would like to experience a different aspect of library work for a change in the virtual world.
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Types of SL reference questions Respondents were asked to characterize the majority of reference questions they received during their shifts at the SL reference desk. As shown in Figure 4, the majority of the questions asked by SL users were about SL itself, including both directional questions and reference questions on how to navigate, how to socialize, and various other aspects of SL. Directional questions in SL are similar to directional questions in real life, which usually start with phrases like “where is . . . ” and “how to get to . . . ”, and whose answers rarely require knowledge of geographical knowledge of locations
Figure 3. Motivations for volunteering at the reference desk in SL
Figure 4. Types of questions received at the reference desk in SL
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(Katz, 2001). Reference questions, on the other hand, are more sophisticated and answers to such questions involve knowledge of information resources. Examples of this type of question in SL include “How do I make my own hair?”, “How do I throw a party in Second Life?”, and even “How to have sex in Second Life”. Communication methods in SL reference In SL, communication between avatars can be enabled either via text chat messages or voice chat. As indicated in Figure 5, when answering reference questions, about 47.6 percent of the respondents used the communication method the user uses to respond to his/her question. In other words, if the user uses text chat, the SL reference librarian uses text chat as well. In the meantime, another 38.1 percent of the respondents reported that they used text chat all the time, no matter which communication method the user uses. Sources used in answering SL reference questions In terms of the sources that respondents mostly used to answer SL reference questions, personal knowledge of SL resources and skills was on the top of the list (n ¼ 19), as shown in Figure 6. Web resources (n ¼ 14) and search tools supported by SL (n ¼ 13) were reported to be frequently used by over ten respondents as well. Respondents also
Figure 5. Communication methods used by SL reference volunteers
Figure 6. Sources used by SL reference volunteers
used resources in both SL libraries (n ¼ 9) and RL libraries (n ¼ 5) to answer users’ questions. Peer assistance was another source that some respondents (n ¼ 5) drew on when helping out users at the reference desk. Important reference skills for SL reference When asked about what reference skills were important in SL reference, most respondents (n ¼ 16) cast their vote for “customer service mentality,” considering qualities such as hospitality, friendliness, enthusiasm, and patience to be important in assisting SL users. Reference interview skills (n ¼ 13) and interpersonal communication skills (n ¼ 11) were in the second and third place, indicating that core reference skills in real life are also essential in SL reference (see Figure 7).
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Difference between SL reference and RL reference When asked about how SL reference differed from RL reference, three respondents considered SL reference similar to RL reference on many levels, and the only difference was the communication venue and the requirement for computing equipment. One respondent was not able to provide an answer to this survey question, since she did not have any RL reference experience. The other responses could be grouped into the following categories. Types of questions Five respondents pointed out that the types of questions received at the SL reference desk were different from those received at an RL reference desk. SL users mostly ask SL-related questions, whereas RL reference questions have a wide variety. Another respondent reported that SL reference questions were more specific than RL ones: I think a lot of the questions in SL are more direct, with people looking for specific bits of information. In RL what the patron is asking can be more nebulous.
Yet another two respondents reported that they often receive questions from users who were curious about what the reference desk is about and why the reference librarians are there. In RL, librarians would not encounter such questions, as users do not come to a library simply to see what it is like.
Figure 7. Important reference skills in SL reference
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Communication difficulty Two respondents found that the lack of visual cues in SL reference made it more difficult to determine whether users’ questions were satisfactorily answered than it would be in RL reference. Another respondent mentioned that in SL reference, librarians and patrons were communicating as “alter-egos,” which was “another layer to work through to make sure you’re giving them the service that they are asking for.” Anonymity Two respondents acknowledged that the anonymity enabled by a SL avatar might change how people behave. This point was attested to by another respondent’s comment about disturbing behavior, or “griefing” in SL terminology, at the reference desk: I saw a patron rain ping pong balls on the reference desk deck once. I’m glad I was not the reference librarian on duty at the time.
Limited reference sources Three respondents felt that the resources available to SL reference librarians in answering reference questions were less than those in RL. They commented: In SL, we are standing alone with mainly our brains and whatever databases we have personal access to. Much of what I have access to in my RL cannot be used by those outside my organization (in SL), and I don’t know what they have access to through their own local libraries.
User characteristics Four respondents commented on how the characteristics of SL users were different from RL users. According to them, SL users are more willing to ask for help: People are willing to approach an SL librarian for assistance and have no trouble asking for help on any topic. There is a sense of community at the reference patio that I have not experienced at a public, academic, or special library, and I have worked in all.
In addition, SL users seem to expect an immediate answer, whereas in RL patrons are more patient and understand that it takes time to answer a reference question. Another difference is that SL reference desk is perceived by users as both a social place and a question-answering service, thus users coming to the SL reference desk are more diversified than in RL and pose more challenges as well. Here is a testimonial from a respondent: The social nature of SL makes staffing a service point an exercise in multitasking – you may have several hangers-on conversing at any given moment at the SL Ref Desk, as well as patrons coming to have their questions answered. In truth both groups of patrons are just as important to the function of virtual reference, as our role is as much about fostering a sense of community as it is to offer an SL-analog to RL library reference. Managing these overlapping groups of patrons – especially when you’re on the desk alone - can be a real challenge (albeit a rewarding one!).
Discussion and conclusion In the past half-century, the rapid development of new technologies has brought many changes to the reference world. Library reference has migrated from the print resource-oriented service, limited in a certain physical space, to a diversified service portfolio that can reach more people with more resources and less restriction of time and space. In addition to approaching a physical reference desk, users can reach reference librarians via telephone, email, and real-time online chat. As the most recent reference development under the influence of new technologies, SL reference has reshaped the concept of reference by adding a new layer of meaning to it. In the 3D virtual world, the reference desk is not associated with any particular library and the reference staff serves the reference desk on a voluntary basis. SL reference librarians are geographically dispersed, and volunteering at the reference desk not only provides them an opportunity to extend the professional information assistance to the virtual world, but also establishes a platform for them to mingle and network with each other. Users of the SL reference desk are mostly seeking help on SL-related questions and personal knowledge about SL is the primary source that librarians rely on to answer users’ questions. In addition to being a service point, the SL reference desk also functions as a social place for both librarians and users, and hence creates a sense of community in the reference area. In real life, the reference desk or other reference venues like chat or email are strictly perceived as a source of professional information assistance and they do not cultivate any social engagement among librarians and patrons. The questions asked in real life reference venues are of large varieties whereas SL reference questions mostly center on the 3D virtual world. To some extent, the SL reference desk simulates the technical support service for SL residents given the nature of the reference questions and the knowledge that librarians have to draw on to answer the questions. As for the anonymity-induced problems experienced by SL reference librarians, they are not uncommon in chat reference where users can ask questions anonymously, but rarely happen at a physical reference desk. Fundamentally, SL reference is no different than the other types of reference services, and the RUSA performance guidelines are also applicable in guiding reference transactions in the 3D virtual world. What’s new about SL reference is the staffing model, the reference environment and the user community. These new elements exhibited in SL reference are indicators of how library reference services can be reshaped to meet the needs of users in various environments. The immersive 3D virtual environment in SL is the newest reference ground and the reference service provided there, while maintaining the essential reference characteristics, and has gained new flavors that are specific to the SL world. Presenting a descriptive picture of the various aspects of SL reference, this article hopes to enhance the professional understanding of the most recent development of reference services and to motivate more discussions on how to adopt new technologies to bring reference services to a broader audience in a more convenient way. In the future, when more libraries and librarians become involved in reference provision in the 3D virtual environment, more studies can be done to further examine the usage of the service, especially from the user’s perspective.
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Note 1. Info International Island is a virtual space in Second Life for library projects. It contains virtual library buildings, information resources, a reference desk, and gathering and display areas for social events. References Babbie, E. (2006), The Practice of Social Research, Thomson Wadsworth,, Belmont, CA. Bell, L., Pope, K. and Peters, T. (2007), “Get a (Second) Life! Prospecting for gold in a 3-D world”, Computers in Libraries, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 10-15. Bell, L., Pope, K., Peters, T. and Galik, B. (2007), “Who’s on third in Second Life?”, Online, Vol. 31 No. 4, pp. 14-18. Dejavu, H. (2008), personal communication, January 14. Erdman, J. (2007), “Reference in a 3-D virtual world: preliminary observations on library outreach in ‘Second Life’”, The Reference Librarian, Vol. 47 No. 2, pp. 29-39. Floyd, J., Frank, I., McCook, K. and Smith, A. (2007), “Second life for librarians”, Florida Libraries, Vol. 50 No. 1, pp. 4-7, available at: http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com (accessed October 19, 2007). Grassian, E. and Trueman, R.B. (2007), “Stumbling, bumbling, teleporting and flying . . . librarian avatars in Second Life”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 84-9, available at: www.emeraldinsight.com (accessed October 18, 2007). Hildreth, S. (2007), “Engaging your community: a strategy for relevance in the twenty-first century”, Public Libraries, Vol. 46 No. 3, pp. 7-9. Hurst-Wahl, J. (2007), “Librarians and Second Life: it’s a source of information, a platform for networking, an opportunity to try out new approaches before you take them to the real world”, Information Outlook, Vol. 11 No. 6, pp. 44-45, 47, 49-50, 53. Katz, W.A. (2001), Introduction to Reference Work, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Kirriemuir, J. (2006), “The librarian as video game player”, The New Review of Information Networking, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 61-75. Linden Lab (2008), “Economic statistics”, available at: http://secondlife.com/whatis/ economy_stats.php (accessed February 25, 2008). Quancast (2008), “Seconlife.com: web site audience profiles from Quancast”, available at: www. quantcast.com/secondlife.com (accessed May 12, 2008). Swanson, K. (2007), “Second Life: a science library presence in virtual reality”, Science & Technology Libraries, Vol. 27 No. 3, pp. 79-86. Wikipedia (2008), “Second Life”, available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life (accessed May 12, 2008).
Appendix
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Figure A1. Survey questionnaire on Second Life reference practice
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Figure A1.
About the author Lili Luo is a Lecturer at School of Library and Information Science at San Jose´ State University. Her primary area of research and teaching interests is library reference service, especially the impact of technologies on the provision of reference and information services to users. Lili Luo can be contacted at:
[email protected]
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