Useful to school librarians, teachers, and faculty, this book explains the range of possibilities for creating immersive learning experiences through the use of virtual worlds, virtual simulations, virtual collections, exhibits by libraries and museums, and archives. There is a renaissance occurring in education with immersive learning via virtual applications and environments, even at the elementary school level. This widespread new movement is happening over more platforms than before—Second Life, Open Sim, Unity3D, Curio, and others. Teaching and Learning in Virtual Environments: Archives, Museums, and Libraries presents readers with the scope of possibilities for education in virtual environments today. Written from the perspective of the practitioner, it provides a wealth of teaching tips for virtual environments and for combining virtual environments with other emerging technologies for libraries and education. Chapters describe how recent developments in technology have made web-based virtual worlds more accessible for teaching and learning and discuss the unique benefits and affordances of educating in virtual environments as well as their applications to different subjects. The teaching applications cover the primary and secondary school levels, higher education and graduate-level environments, and even beyond formal education into building immersive "information experiences" for professional training applications, library users, and the general public. The text provides an up-to-date overview for educators, academic and public librarians, and archives and museum staff on recent developments with immersive learning; presents innovative programs and teaching ideas; covers administrative issues; and addresses the student's perspective as well.

Covering topics such as mobile reference, eBooks, mobile websites, and QR codes, this book examines the effects of the global mobile revolution on libraries and library users-critical information all librarians need. The Handheld Library: Mobile Technology and the Librarian provides the information and guidance librarians need to adapt themselves and their facilities to the mobile revolution-the fastest, most diffuse worldwide technological innovation in human history. The book provides an up-to-date survey of how mobile technologies are affecting library use, library services, library systems, librarians, and library users at various types of libraries. The authors cover core topics related to mobile libraries, including mobile reference, eBooks, mobile websites, and QR codes, and address aspects of the mobile revolution less frequently covered in the literature, such as mobile health information services, the use of mobile technologies on archival work, the impact of the mobile revolution on physical libraries, and the ways in which new mobile technologies are creating professional development opportunities within the profession. While this resource is specifically targeted toward librarians who plan and provide services using mobile technologies, academic, public, and other librarians will also find the ideas and information within useful. Contains contributed chapters from active, innovative, respected librarians in the mobile library movement on ideas and trends for mobile libraries Addresses aspects of the mobile revolution that are rarely covered, such as the use of tablet computers in archives and the mHealth information services movement Provides updated descriptions of innovative mobile library services Supplies practical advice and recommendations about mobile library systems and services