Join THE hunt for Golden Hearts! Cupid is on the loose in @secondlife! http://bit.ly/c912KV
Scavenger Hunt
Welcome to Healthinfo Island. There are three displays here right now: healthy eating, CPR, and research results.

Image by testdriverone via Flickr
Alliance Library System is pleased to make the final report for the project “Share the Health” available on the web at http://www.
This project was funded with a contract from the National Library of Medicine Greater Midwest Region.
“We are very pleased that this project accomplished so much in terms of helping people with disabilities and chronic health conditions learn where to find credible health information and also how to navigate the virtual world of Second Life,” stated Kitty Pope, ALS Executive Director. “Much of this population is homebound and virtual worlds give them the opportunity to experience things they would not otherwise get to do.”
Virtual Ability, the new orientation center for people with these conditions in Second Life, was partially funded through this project. Virtual Ability was a recent co-winner of the prestigious Linden Prize with Studio Wikitecture. There were over 230 entries and this is the first vendor award of its type in virtual worlds.
“The many library services available in Second Life increase it’s utility for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions. The resources on HealthInfo Island are particularly pertinent,” stated Alice Krueger, president of Virtual Ability, Inc. “ We were pleased to partner with ALS in developing the intake and new resident orientation facilities on Virtual Ability Island, adjoining HealthInfo Island on the east.”
They also have created a Netvibes Universe Public Page : Share The Health VAI ALS
Here is an impression!
Image by testdriverone via Flickr



Thanks to a generous grant from the National Library of Medicine and the tremendous support of the Alliance Library System as grant administrator, a brand new island dedicated to HIV/AIDS education, outreach, and support will open in Second Life on December 1 - World AIDS Day, 2008.
Please join us at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Karuna/60/106/26
Note that the island will be open to the public on that day.
Christened Karuna, a word taken from an early Indo-Aryan language, the name of the island embodies the desire to remove harm and suffering, and to bring about the well-being and happiness of others.
Karuna team members include AIDS/HIV support group leaders as well as AIDS content information experts and educators, ensuring that the best, most recent, evidence-based information is available. The project objective is to empower individuals in healthcare decision making. Through this project, one-to-one health information reference services are provided by experienced medical and consumer health librarians.
In addition to providing infomation resources, support, and networking opportunities, Karuna is built around a Garden of Experience, where the experiences of those dealing with HIV/AIDS will be shared in a variety of formats including poetry, photos, music, and video. For more information about this project, see http://www.karunasl.info.
We are proud to be working with other organizations in this effort, including AIDS.gov, the University of North Carolina Center for AIDS research, Community Outreach, Dissemination, and Education Office (CFAR), and most recently, by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Together, we work to ensure that the idea of community is foremost. Individuals are at the heart of Karuna, and it is through sharing tales and human connections that we find our best selves.
All times listed are Pacific Standard Times
Location: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Karuna/60/106/26
Note that the island will be open to the public on that day
10-10:10 Story to Live By (Jenaia Morane)
10:10-10:20 AIDS/HIV Support & Experience (Ricken Flow)
10:20-30 Health in Second Life (Pathfinder Linden)
10:30-10:40 HIV/AIDS in the U.S. (Miguelz Rajal & Ellechim Fizzle)
10:40-10:50 Karuna: The Grant and the Vision (Carolina Keats )
10:50-11:00 Questions and Answers
11:10 – 11:45 Tours of Karuna
11:45 – 1:00 Lunch break
1:00 – 3:00 Story writing workshop and posting of stories
5:00-5:15 Closing Ceremony – Candle of Hope is lit
6:00 – 8:00 Dance with live DJ
8:00 – 9:00 Music: Live performance by Cylindrian Rutabaga

By RobColding - Posted on 16 October 2008
October 20, 2008, Monterey, CA—At the 12th annual Internet Librarian Conference and Exhibition, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) announced the publication of Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries: Librarians and Educators in Second Life and Other Multi-User Virtual Environments, edited by Lori Bell and Rhonda B. Trueman.
Eighty percent of Internet users are expected to engage in some form of virtual world activity by 2011 (Gartner Research Group), and librarians and educators are already there. Virtual Worlds, Real Libraries—the brainchild of editors Bell and Trueman—is designed to help libraries and schools recognize the importance of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and consider ways of getting involved as they proliferate. The editors and 24 contributors describe innovative library, educational, and cultural projects they have undertaken. They recount their experiences working together to succeed in Second Life and other virtual worlds and explain how traditional library services such as reference, teaching, collections, discussion groups, and young adult programs can be applied in a virtual environment.


Using virtual worlds to promote health and healthcare is the topic of the next installment of the popular "Stepping into Virtual Worlds" conference series, to be offered October 7th, 2008 in Second Life. Hundreds of people have attended this series, which began with "Stepping into History" in June and continued with "Stepping into Literature" in August. The series is sponsored by Alliance Library System and LearningTimes. The day-long conference is open to the public, with more information available at http://www.
During this conference, participants will make virtual "field trips" to some of the best and most creative locations that are using virtual worlds to promote health. During these field trips, they will be able to speak with those responsible for creating the simulations, and have time to explore them on their own. Among the field trips for this conference are Healthinfo Island, a health education simulation where visitors can test their knowledge of strokes by walking through a giant artery and destroying clots by correctly answering questions, and ToxTown, a typical American town where potentially dangerous chemicals can easily be seen.
In addition to the field trips, the conference includes:
Alliance Library System, co-sponsor of the "Stepping Into" series, is a multi-type library system headquartered in East Peoria, Illinois. Alliance has been a leader in developing ways for libraries to expand their missions and serve patrons in virtual worlds. Alliance is on the web at www.alliancelibrarysystem.com.
LearningTimes, the second co-sponsor, is the leading producer of online communities and online conferences for education and training. Their clients and partners include educational and cultural institutions, non-profit organizations, associations and membership groups. LearningTimes provides the training, platforms, applications and expertise these organizations need to make their conferences a success. More information about LearningTimes can be found at www.learningtimes.net.
The cost for this day-long conference is $79, and participants may register for the conference at www.steppingintovirtualworlds.