Legal Research

Law Librarians and Virtual Worlds

By Simon Chester

While we’ve had discussions from time to time about Second Life, but we missed telling you about a novel virtual workshop on innovative forms of library services through virtual worlds. The workshop explored the benefits and challenges of operating a virtual world law library program, leading to practical advice on how to create and present a program or topical resource within Second Life.

The website noted that a legal community is developing in Second Life: over 65 lawyers and firms have an official Second Life presence, the ?Second Life Bar Association? has 200+ members, and the ABA has recently formed a Virtual Worlds and Multiuser Online Games committee. Harvard Law School, among others, holds classes in and about Second Life.

Here are links to the slides from the closing webinar.

Among the novel projects is a Cleveland State project on the new international Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The project on the Disabilities Convention is an art gallery where visitors can get information on the treaty and specific topics addressed by the treaty, like mobility, health, education, and sports participation. Their website says: “If you?d like to check out the project in world, here?s the SLurl which will take you right to the spot.”

Were any Slaw readers involved?

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on August 29, 2008 (boomark / email).