Chapter 4: Issues to Consider: The Costs of Developing a VW Presence

Abstract

Over the past several years, virtual worlds have become increasingly popular. Virtual worlds are no longer sources of amusement or recreation—they are now fully functional communication and networking tools. If past technological revolutions are any indication of what may happen in the future, virtual worlds will continue to expand into our collective lives and add interesting new features and experiential opportunities. This report discusses how the library profession is approaching virtual worlds, and is designed for library professionals who are considering whether or not to establish a virtual world presence. In addition to giving readers a detailed look at the current state of virtual world librarianship, this report also provides a foundation for virtual world knowledge. It defines commonly used terms, delineates common problems and concerns about virtual world and explores the different approaches to and applications of virtual worlds for twenty-first century librarians.