Virtual Reality and Libraries: Emerging Technology in the School Library

by Shannon C. 

Photo by Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare on Unsplash

Virtual reality (VR) is an advancing technology that is now readily available to the public. Essentially, VR is a immersive experience that includes the users senses of sight, hearing and touch (Pope, 5). To ignore it’s potential impact on education would be a mistake, as technology evolves and educational programs become more sophisticated and abundant, educators and school librarians should consider how to integrate it into the curriculum. VR is only going to become more popular and today’s students should be familiar with it as a tool for deeper learning considering they may be utilizing this technology in their future academic and professional careers. 

Since the technology is less cost prohibitive than it used to be, school libraries should consider purchasing VR devices. There are a number of VR applications geared toward education including Star Chart, an exploration of constellations (Pope, 15).  More apps geared toward learning include, Land of the Dinosaurs, a virtual experience exploring the dinosaurs, and Unimersiv suite of virtual reality apps, which include virtual experiences like exploring the Titanic and the International Space Station (Pope, 19). Another way to utilize this technology would be in “virtual field trips”. The VR Museum of Fine Art would allow students to experience famous artworks, and Google Earth VR gives the user the benefit of traveling anywhere in the world right from the library (Pope, 5).

Overall, the VR technology would give educators and students more options to enhance their learning and should be seriously considered as a part of the school library experience and as a tool for research. 

Watch the video below to see how VR technology is utilized in a "Metaverse school" to support learning outcomes:

While this is obviously more immersive than a regular school library would offer, you can see how the VR technology could be used to enhance learning. 

I understand that this type of technology would not be in the budget for some school libraries, and financial resources are allocated to meet school and library needs. For those schools, this is just something to keep on their radar as it becomes more readily available and less cost prohibitive. 

Pope, Hannah. “Virtual and Augmented Reality in Libraries.” 

    Library Technology Reports, vol. 54, no.  6, Aug. 2018, pp. 1–25. EBSCOhost,
    search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=a9h&AN=131380062&site=ehost-                          

    live&scope=site.

Today there are a large number of ways a library patron can work to create a presentation. Library patrons on the go have many options and for presentation tools such as Google Slides, Canva, Gamma and Prezi have free versions that are accessible for anyone with access to a computer. Which program you recommend maybe based on the patrons computer skill level and the type of project they are working to create. 

My current favorite for presentations is Canva.  The site has over a million monthly users, making this a popular choice. (Pack, 2023)The reasons I prefer Canva is the flexibility and selection of template graphics. I feel it is the easiest to use for making professional looking presentations. Like other presentation software available today you can share projects and collaborate on the presentation as a group. Canva has an AI writing tool which can help users overcome writer's block by having the Magic Write help with the writing by using the Magic Studio on Canva.com. The tool will even help you create your presentation. The banner for this Blog post was created using Canva.

Gamma.app is another presentation generation program that will help you create a presentation. Gamma.app also has the ability to collaborate and presentations may be exported as a PDF or into Powerpoint. Customizable templates on Gamma are clean and simple. Gamma generates the slides and helps you choose a theme. I tested the process of choosing Logo creation. It created a simple presentation with logos in about a minute. Check out the AI generated presentation here:

https://gamma.app/docs/Introduction-to-Logos-vv6742eg696nmoy

Google slides has been the go to free presentation tool for many years. There are many good reasons to work with Google slides, it is simple to use and if you are working as a team it is easy to share a project and work together. AI can be added with programs like PlusAI. PlusAI  does require a membership you may access for a 7 day trial to check the features out. 

Prezi is another website software for creating presentations Prezi works with PowerPoint. Prezi also has AI capabilities helping you create professional presentations. Prezi also provides presentation create tips in the Science of the effective presentations discussion available on Prezi.com (The Science of Effective Presentations | Prezi, n.d.)

These are just a sampling of the popular presentation creation tools available on the internet today. The next time you need a presentation for a class or work and need to use your library internet check out the free versions. Play with the AI generators and see what the program comes up with and work from there. 

References

Livberber, T. (2023). Toward non-human-centered design: designing an academic article with ChatGPT. El Profesional de La Información, 32(5), 1–17. https://doi-org.ezproxy.palomar.edu/10.3145/epi.2023.sep.12

Pack, T. (2023). After Hours Canva Does Word Processing Too? Information Today, Inc., , 9.

The Science of Effective Presentations | Prezi. (n.d.). prezi.com. https://prezi.com/the-science/?click_source=logged_element&page_location=footer&element_text=the_science

Presentation Tools in Libraries: Canva, the Golden Library Presentation Tool

by Shannon C.

It’s no secret that I am a member of the Canva fan club. I have used this program for so many things, I think it may think we are best friends. The program is easy to use, more modern than most basic design software (I’m looking at you Microsoft Publisher) and offers a treasure trove of beautiful and customizable templates. Some ways to utilize this graphic design software in a library setting are (Scardina):

• Library Branding
• Promotional Materials
• Library Signage
• Community Outreach

I promise, I am not being paid by Canva. 

There are many ways that libraries can use this program from creating flyers, to infographics, to social media posts, to brochures, and beyond. Did you know that you can also use Canva to create presentation slides? You can! I told you it can do it all! Like a true graphic design renaissance man. 

Canva itself has created An easy guide to creating a presentation in Canva to  help you navigate how to use this program to create beautiful and interesting presentations. 

Here also is a video to guide you through the process: 

 

There are so many reasons that library staff would need to create a creative and dynamic presentation and it just got a whole lot easier to do with Canva. 

How would you use this program feature? Comment below! 

Scardina, Ciro. “Library Signage: Creating Aesthetics With Canva.” Teacher Librarian, vol. 45, no. 5,         

    June 2018, pp. 38–41. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

    direct=true&db=a9h&AN=130291700&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Digital Storytelling Resources for School Libraries

by Shannon C.

Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash

Digital storytelling can be a fantastic tool in the school librarian’s tool belt. While there is still an immense need, interest and benefit in traditional storytelling, digital storytelling is a way to enhance the library experience, and create engaging content for students to interact with. There are a variety of digital storytelling resources available (Yazdian). While librarians and library staff can and should certainly utilize these resources, I think it would be even more impactful to have the students utilize these resources for their own digital storytelling! Here are just three resources that can be used by both kids and adults:

https://www.mystorybook.com/

My Storybook has three pricing options including a free option for students and teachers (or librarians!). Students can create their own digital stories using templates or create their own from scratch. The program gives writers access to a library of clipart and characters and allows users to share their creations with others. With the higher pricing programs, there is also the option to print the created book with Google Photobooks. This is an excellent tool for library staff to create unique digitized stories to share during read aloud, or for students to have available as a resource in the school library. 

www.wevideo.com/

This is an excellent resource for creating digital video content. Users can utilize available templates or create their own. A database of images is available to add interest to your content and users can add text or voice recordings. This would be a great tool for school librarians to create digital content for at home learning, websites, and fun media content to pair with library story time. There is a free option that allows you to publish up to 5 minutes of content per month, as well as create additional memes, videos and record your screen. 

https://www.storyjumper.com/

StoryJumper is a free resource designed to allow users to create books that they can share digitally or opt to print for a cost. Users can customize characters and include images that enhance their story. This is a wonderful resource for students to bring their stories to life and librarians can utilize this resource to enhance their read aloud and story time. 

No matter what you use or how you use it, digital story telling is an excellent tool to engage learners and enhance the library experience!

Yazdian, Lisa M.Sensale, and Betsy Diamant-Cohen. “Upping Your Digital Storytelling Game.”         

    Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children, vol. 21, no. 1, 

    Spring 2023, pp. 35–36. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy.palomar.edu/10.5860/cal.21.1.35.

Libraries in the Digital Age: The School Library Needs to Stand Up to “Fake News”

by Shannon C.

Image by Marcus Winkler via Unsplash

By now, nearly every adult has heard of the increasingly problematic “fake news” that litters social media, blogs, podcasts and the like. Our school age children, however, are potentially not as aware of this concept, and these little learners are sponges that soak up an immense amount of information daily. Children of all ages are becoming regular and targeted consumers of social media and are being exposed to a variety of news, advertising and informational content. (Raffoul) This, paired with students leaning on digital resources for research, the school library can and should step up to meet this challenge and aid students in learning how to determine fact from fiction. 

One of the ways a library can do this is by implementing software that aids in identifying “fake news” articles. Newsguard, for example, is a browser extension utilized by over 200 libraries that is designed to “literally red­-flag problematic articles and blog posts” by “usi[ng] a set of nine journalistic standards to examine the credibility and transparency of thousands of websites.” The aim is not to censor information, but allow users to evaluate the information and identify reliable sources. (Cilella) There are other website based options for fact-checking like snopes.com and factcheck.org that librarians can help students navigate if they’re unsure if there source is legitimate. 

It would also be beneficial to work with the teachers and administration to help develop curriculum that focus on media literacy that includes how to identify fake news. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA),
the ALA,YALSA, and National Public Radio (NPR), have developed guides to help consumers identify misinformation they find online. (Spratt) 

For a quick lesson in how to spot fake news, watch this video from factcheck.org:

How to Spot Fake News - FactCheck.org

                                                Cilella, Jessica. “Check Your Facts: Libraries Use Tech Tools to Fight Fake News.” American Libraries, vol. 50, no.11/12, Nov. 2019, pp. 36–37.    EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=139533152&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

                                                Raffoul, Amanda, et al. “Social Media Platforms Generate Billions of Dollars in Revenue from U.S. Youth: Findings from a Simulated Revenue Model.” PLoS ONE, vol. 18, no. 12, Dec. 2023, pp. 1–7. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy.palomar.edu/10.1371/journal.pone.0295337.

                                                Spratt, Hannah E., and Denise E. Agosto. “Fighting Fake News: Because We All Deserve the Truth: Programming Ideas for Teaching Teens Media Literacy.” Young Adult Library Services, vol. 15, no. 4, Summer 2017, pp. 17–21. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=124230725&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Libraries in the Digital age are all about evolving our mindset of what makes a library. We are at a point where many library users won’t step foot in the physical library. Accessing materials on the go with the libraries database, programs such as Libby for digital book access. The tech only user may not intend to set foot in the physical space but, can libraries engage them with on-site activities? I like to think so the library can notify tech patrons of activities at their local branch.

Digital materials need a different kind of maintenance. Librarians need to manage the digital leases and review the needs to renew leases much like an inventory of a physical collection. Unlike a physical book, journal or other resource a library does not purchase a digital copy, the library leases the use of the digital content. Lease terms are generally for one to 3 years. A perpetual lease may cost five times more than the short term leases. Harris, C. (2014)

The need for a physical location will not go away as technology evolves; some patrons will need the physical space to access the digital materials on a library device such as desktop computer or use of the library's free WIFI. Physical location services such as meeting space and desk space are also an important value of the physical location. Onsite groups, craft activities, instruction, and children's services are all linked to a physical space.

I see a continued need for physical book checkout in my opinion especially for picture book titles for children. The physical art of these books is very engaging to the younger pre-readers and readers. Some books, especially older texts are not available in digital form to lease.  On the flipside, libraries will no longer need to maintain stacks of non-fiction materials or journals when this information is easier to access on-line. 

Libraries are not going to fade away with advances in technology. Libraries will continue to evolve and meet the challenges of the digital age with knowledge and help for its patrons. As technology has evolved libraries have made their place in this new world known. They are a hub or information and a destination for tools of the digital age.

References:

References

Harris, C. (2014). Fact or fiction? Libraries can thrive in the Digital Age. Phi Delta Kappan, 96(3), 20-25. 10.1177/0031721714557448

Hiltzik, M. (2022, ). BUSINESS; Battle over ebooks centers on idea of ownership; Publishers square off with digital library, testing concept of who controls content. Los Angeles Times https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/business-battle-over-ebooks-centers-on-idea/docview/2757255099/se-2?accountid=35685 http://palomar.on.worldcat.org/atoztitles/link?sid=ProQ:&issn=04583035&volume=&issue=&title=Los+Angeles+Times&spage=A.7&date=2022-12-24&atitle=BUSINESS%253B+Battle+over+ebooks+centers+on+idea+of+ownership%253B+Publishers+square+off+with+digital+library%252C+testing+concept+of+who+controls+content.&au=Hiltzik%252C+Michael&id=doi: http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&wcpartner=proquesta&wcautho=http://palomar.worldcat.org/search&wcissn=04583035&wcdoctype=ser

Levine, E., & Krtalic, M. (2016). Libraries in the digital age: the emerging discipline of digital curation. Information Today, 33(7), 1.

VR and Libraries

 Virtual Reality and Libraries

by Rachel T.

Thinking of bringing Virtual Reality (VR) to your library?

VR technology has potential for entertainment, education, and more. However, the technology is expensive to invest in (both hardware and software) and poses difficulties in implementation (Cook et al., 2019). Waivers will likely be needed, as users/patrons may feel nauseous, dizzy, or experience seizures. With this and other factors in mind, on-site VR programs need active supervision by library staff. In addition, your library must have Information Technology staff to support any new VR programming, especially if you hope to create new virtual environments (new software) specific to your library. As you explore bringing VR to your library, consider where to place the VR system (will you have a dedicated space?) and who will maintain the system. In the following paragraphs, I will highlight some educational uses of VR.

One use of VR programs is to provide information on social and cultural issues. According to Sharon Whitfield, librarian at Rider University in New Jersey, certain programs are available for free from the Oculus website (Arata, 2022). At Rider University, they plan to offer programs focused on “experiences of Black Americans, refugees, and people without housing” (Arata, 2022). From my understanding, libraries that use Oculus headsets will have access to this free programming.

VR can also be used for digital literacy training in libraries. In Finland, a group of researchers worked with library staff and others to create a VR world that aimed to teach users about the library. They created a program called Forest Elf, where the user must complete certain tasks in different environments. One task was to match quotes with book genres on a bookshelf in the VR world (Ylipulli et al., 2023). In this project, the group decided on a forest world to increase engagement, as people enjoy nature. Though quite different from a library, the Forest Elf world offers active learning in digital literacy skills and allows individual libraries to add on or change the program (Ylipulli et al., 2023). 

Looking for explanations of VR and its uses?

* Check Out These Videos * 

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Works Cited:

Arata, H. (2022, May 17). A New Mechanism for Dialogue: Virtual Reality Programs in Academic Libraries. Programming Librarian, ALA American Library Association. https://programminglibrarian.org/articles/new-mechanism-dialogue-virtual-reality-programs-academic-libraries 

Cook, M., Lischer-Katz, Z., Hall, N., Hardesty, J., Johnson, J., McDonald, R., & Carlisle, T. (2019). Challenges and Strategies for Educational Virtual Reality: Results of an Expert-led Forum on 3D/VR Technologies Across Academic Institutions. Information Technology and Libraries, 38(4), 25–48. https://doi.org/10.6017/ITAL.V38I4.11075

Ylipulli, J., Pouke, M., Ehrenberg, N., & Keinonen, T. (2023). Public libraries as a partner in digital innovation project: Designing a virtual reality experience to support digital literacy. Future Generation Computer Systems, 149, 594–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2023.08.001