Virtual Reality and Libraries: Is this something we need? by Kathy Meengs

 

Virtual Reality and Libraries: Is this something we need? By Kathy Meengs

Virtual reality (VR) is a captivating, still relatively emerging, technology that basically permits the user to enjoy ‘real-life’ visual experiences by taking 2D images and videos and adding depth and distances to mimic a 3D experience. It’s not a fad; it’s not just for gamers; it’s here to stay. People love it. In 2016, I hosted an event at a retail bookstore where I allowed customers to try out some new VR viewers, and they loved it. They didn’t even know how they were going to use it, but they had to have the viewers. And as with all important new technologies, libraries need to be involved, helping to expose and educate the community and using VR in relevant and creative ways to offer services, programming, collection experience and other mission-related activities.

According to a 2018 American Libraries article, many libraries have begun to embrace VR: school libraries, academic libraries, specialty libraries and public libraries. They are using it to engage teens and new adults, educate underserved communities and simulate learning experiences (heart surgery at the University of Washington Health Sciences Library!) (Figueroa, 28). The equipment can be expensive, and many of the librarians interviewed indicated that they’ve used grant monies to help fund their VR programs (Figueroa, 29), but hopefully as time passes, prices will come down as they do for so much of developing technology.  The libraries in 2018 acknowledged that they were still in the early stages of how they would use VR (Figueroa, 30). I viewed a video where a library was experimenting using VR for collection discovery within the stacks.

The Pandemic that began in March 2020 has probably slowed the adoption of VR into libraries, since most of its applications involve an in-person dynamic. But libraries cannot stop exploring the possibilities and looking for ways to include VR in their offerings. One of my favorite VR stories involves the Fresno County Community Library. Community Librarian Jessica Hall has used the VR program Google Expeditions, and a modest grant-funded investment in equipment, to reach out to seniors and veterans in her community. She visits VA and senior homes, taking with her the VR equipment and a wi- fi hotspot, and spends an hour or so with groups of 5 (the number of viewers she has) allowing them to travel the world with Expeditions and then engaging them in conversation about what they’ve seen, places they’ve visited, and other journey experiences. Because of the relationship she has built with these sites, she now visits weekly, alternating the VR with reading aloud to the residents (Hall, 1-2). To me, this is a terrific example of community librarianship and partnership-building. Hall has delivered an experience to people who not only cannot travel, but can’t even visit the library, and she has reminded them of what the library offers and made patrons of this part of the community. And she’s also shown that VR is not just for teens, or the tech-savvy. We library staff need to take note and stay open-minded about the many ways we can use new technology.

Works Cited

Figueroa, Miguel. “IN A VIRTUAL WORLD: How School, Academic, and Public Libraries Are Testing Virtual Reality in Their Communities. (Cover Story).” American Libraries, vol. 49, no. 3/4, Mar. 2018, pp. 26–33. EBSCOhost, https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lxh&AN=128259003&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Hall, Jessica. “Journey with Veterans: Virtual Reality Program Using Google Expeditions.” Information Technology & Libraries, vol. 39, no. 4, Dec. 2020, pp. 1–3. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.ezproxy.palomar.edu/10.6017/ital.v39i4.12857.