PLCMC partners with Alliance Library system to open cultural/creative space in virtual world

PLCMC partners with Alliance Library system to open cultural/creative space in virtual world



Charlotte, NC - Oct. 6, 2006 - The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) and the Alliance Library System are pleased to announce a partnership to collaborate on the "Eye4You Alliance," an island in Teen Second Life that will offer virtual library services to teens.

Teen Second Life is a 3-D, international gathering place on the Internet where teens 13-17 can make friends, play, learn and create. Teens create a digital version of themselves, called an avatar, that they use to travel around the "virtual world," meet new people and participate in a variety of activities.

The goal of "Eye4You Alliance" is to create an interactive and informative space for young adults within the Teen Second Life virtual world and to collaborate with other educators who serve youth and are already present in Teen Second Life and in real life.

"At a time when many libraries are offering collaborative spaces through social tools, a 3-D immersive environment is the next logical step to libraries remaining relevant to teenagers," said Helene Blowers, director of Information Technology at PLCMC. "This project is an opportunity to engage teens in services and activities that will excite them in a place they already are."

The project hopes to build teen developmental assets, encourage collaboration and promote active learning that will prepare teens for future learning. PLCMC and Alliance Library System leaders believe this environment has significant learning potential by being a Web interface that can challenge teen users to figure things out for themselves.

"We see this as an important service our libraries can collaborate on, and we are proud to team up with the library in Charlotte," said Kitty Pope, executive director of the Alliance Library System in Peoria, Ill. "We are excited to be offering new outreach programs, events and services to teens who might not otherwise come to the library."

Both library systems will provide the leadership and expertise in extending their outstanding real-life programs and services to the virtual world.

Founded in 1903 as a Carnegie Free Library, PLCMC has become one of the premiere libraries in the country with 24 locations, 1.6 million volumes, and 28,000 videos, DVDs and CDs. The library sponsors a variety of community-based programs - from computer- and Internet-education workshops to the award-winning Novello Festival of Reading, a celebration that accentuates the fun of reading and learning. As a public library, we are dedicated to our mission of expanding minds, empowering individuals and enriching our community.

Alliance Library System is one of the most innovative regional library systems in North America and is the lead agency on the Second Life Library project on Info Island in the adult version of Second Life. It is located in East Peoria, Illinois with 253 library members of all types. Alliance offers continuing education, consulting, resource sharing, and delivery service to members

For more information, contact Teen Second Life Project
Leaders Matt Gullett, mgullett@plcmc.org or Kelly Czarnecki,
kczarnecki@plcmc.org