Information Dynamics in Virtual Worlds

Gaming and Beyond

Woody Evans (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

216 Seiten

2011
Chandos Publishing (Oxford) Ltd (Verlag)
978-1-84334-641-8 (ISBN)

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Presents a broad examination of the nature of virtual worlds and the potential they provide in managing and expressing information practices through that medium, grounding information professionals and students of new media in the fundamental elements of virtual worlds and online gaming. The book details the practical issues in finding and using information in virtual environments and presents a general theory of librarianship as it relates to virtual gaming worlds. It is encompassed by a set of best practice methods that libraries can effectively execute in their own environments, meeting the needs of this new generation of library user, and explores ways in which information literacy can be approached in virtual worlds. Final chapters examine how conventional information evaluation skills work falls short in virtual worlds online.

Woody Evans is a librarian at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates. As a librarian and private researcher, he has worked for military, corporate, and academic organizations. He has written for American Libraries, Library Journal, Searcher, ONLINE, Information Today, and others. His current research interests include the cultural aspects of information seeking and evaluation. Contact him through woodyevans.com.

Dedication

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Introduction

Part I: Virtual Ontologies

Chapter 1: Mapping virtual worlds

Abstract

Theory v. reality

Our theoretical moorings

Hyperreality

Globalization

Gender and queering

Actor-Network Theory

Intertextuality

Transhumanism

Spaces and how to move in them

Running in virtual spacetime

Money moves worlds

Some definitions

Chapter 2: Types of virtual worlds

Abstract

Games

Gametypes

Perspective, aesthetics, clickiness

Non-games

Chapter 3: N00bz inworld

Abstract

Gendered initiation

Stories and tasks

Floating World, Active World: Islands in the Net

Back to initiation

Help from the man

Symbols of passage

Chapter 4: Inworld info desks: information initiation

Abstract:

Official Stuff

The unofficial stuff

Wikis and forums

Fan pages, Blog posts, Newsgroups

Further discussion

Chapter 5: Info service inworld: how to practice info services in virtual worlds

Abstract:

Let’s talk about librarians first

Inworld library attributes

Real skills for real patrons?

Who is the community? Who are the patrons?

Where to lurk

Viral you

Linden, Turing, and Kempelen’s Turk

Part II: Time Inworld

Introduction

Chapter 6: Hungry Ghosts in Second Life

Abstract:

Deep and dark

Official signage

Academically speaking

No action

Public, as in Tammanial Hall

I’m a Mac. And I’m a PC

Real Life again

Chapter 7: After virtual worlds

Abstract:

Thumbing into new turf

Chapter 8: Conclusions

Appendix I: SL librarianship

Appendix II: TOS

Bibliography

Index

Erscheint lt. Verlag	15.6.2011
Reihe/Serie	Chandos Information Professional Series
Verlagsort	Witney
Sprache	englisch
Maße	156 x 234 mm
Gewicht	390 g
Themenwelt	Sozialwissenschaften ► Kommunikation / Medien ► Buchhandel / Bibliothekswesen
ISBN-10	1-84334-641-9 / 1843346419
ISBN-13	978-1-84334-641-8 / 9781843346418
Zustand	Neuware