Using Second Life for Information Awareness in the Enterprise - Scott Brown, Special Libraries Association (SLA) presentation, June 2008

1. Breaking Rules, Building
Virtual Bridges:
Using Second Life for
Information Awareness in
the Enterprise
Scott Brown, MLIS
Senior Information Specialist
Digital Libraries & Research
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Broomfield, CO, USA
scott.brown@sun.com

2. How did we get here?
• Unique corporate characteristics
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3. How did we get here?
• Unique corporate characteristics
• Digital Libraries & Research staff with “inquiring minds”
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4. How did we get here?
Unique corporate characteristics
•
Digital Libraries & Research staff with “inquiring minds”
•
Executive leadership
•
Executive mandate
•
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5. What did we do?
• Baby steps
> Part 1 and 2 – part 1 non-threatening and familiar
• Adapted already-existing content
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6. What did we do?
• Baby steps
> Part 1 and 2 – part 1 non-threatening and familiar
• Adapted already-existing content
• Called for help!
HELP!
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7. What did we do?
• Baby steps
> Part 1 and 2 – part 1 non-threatening and familiar
• Adapted already-existing content
• Called for help!
• Called for help again!
HELP!
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Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only

8. What did we do?
• Baby steps
> Part 1 and 2 – part 1 non-threatening and familiar
• Adapted already-existing content
• Called for help!
• Called for help again!
• What does success look like?
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Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only

9. What did we do?
• Baby steps
> Part 1 and 2 – part 1 non-threatening and familiar
• Adapted already-existing content
• Called for help!
• Called for help again!
• What does success look like?
> Hint: it looks different
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10. Results
• It felt like a physical setting
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11. The “aha”!
• quot;I felt like I was in the room. It was amazing to be
sitting next to someone while watching the speaker!quot;
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12. Learnings
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13. Bridge the gap and find your niche
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14. Think differently about learning in
Second Life
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15. Think differently about learning in
Second Life
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16. Think differently about learning in
Second Life
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17. Think differently about what you
can provide
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18. Partnering is essential for success
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19. Events are a great entry point into
Second Life
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20. The technology is still evolving
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21. Effective participation requires
even more of a team effort
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22. Resource links
• Digital Libraries & Research blog:
http://blogs.sun.com/library
• Virtual Worlds at Sun blog: http://blogs.sun.com/vw
• Project Wonderland blog:
http://blogs.sun.com/wonderland
• Sun's Immersive Special Interest Group http://sun-
isig.org/
• Search for Sun Microsystems in SL Search > Places and
visit
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23. Scott Brown | scott.brown@sun.com
Sun Learning Services - Digital Libraries & Research
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
http://blogs.sun.com/library
Information | Inspiration | Innovation