[Web4lib] Announcement: OPAL online programs about Virtual Worlds and Libraries

[Tom Peters]

Greetings!

These free, open-to-everyone online events in January on the general topic of virtual worlds and libraries were recently added to the OPAL calendar (http://www.opal-online.org/progschrono.htm).  Feel free to share this information with others who may be interested.

If you want the full OPAL experience, and if you are running a version of Microsoft Windows, you need to download and install a small, safe piece of software, a link to which is available at the entry page to every OPAL online room.

For Mac, Unix, and even MS Windows users who prefer not to download and install software, there is a public beta "light" interface to OPAL that does not require special software.  A link to that interface is available at the entry page to the OPAL online auditorium.  You should be able to hear the audio streaming from the room, see the text chat and any co-browsing that occurs in the online room, and be able to text chat back into the online room.

Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 3:00 Central, 2:00 Mountain, 1:00 Pacific, and 9:00 p.m. GMT/UTC/Zulu:

ALA Midwinter Meeting of the ALA VCL MIG 

If you are interested in the work of the Virtual Communities and Libraries Member Initiative Group of the American Library Association ( http://wikis.ala.org/readwriteconnect/index.php/ALA_Member_Initiative_Groups) but cannot attend the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia, please feel free to join us online via OPAL. If the Internet connection in the hotel room where the in-person meeting will be held is good, we will be offering a live audio and text chat stream of the proceedings. 

Host: TAP Information Services 

Location: OPAL Online Auditorium 
Friday, January 25, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, 10:00 Central, 9:00 Mountain, 9:00 Pacific, and 5:00 p.m. GMT/UTC/Zulu:

Virtuals Worlds for Kids, Tweens, and Teens: Whyville 

According to a recent New York Times article, 2008 will be the year of virtual worlds for kids, with rapid population growth and many ventures. Libraries and other educational and cultural organizations are exploring these virtual worlds for kids, too. This hour long seminar will feature speakers Tom Peters of TAP Information Services providing an overview of the growth of virtual worlds for kids, Cliff Zintgraff of Whyville providing an introduction and tour of Whyville, and Kelly Czarnecki of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County talking about why it is important for librarians and educators to be in virtual worlds such as Whyville. 

NOTE: This program will be repeated later on this date. See below. 

Host: Alliance Library System 

Location: OPAL Online Auditorium 
Friday, January 25, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 2:00 Central, 1:00 Mountain, noon Pacific, and 8:00 p.m. GMT/UTC/Zulu:

Virtuals Worlds for Kids, Tweens, and Teens: Whyville 

According to a recent New York Times article, 2008 will be the year of virtual worlds for kids, with rapid population growth and many ventures. Libraries and other educational and cultural organizations are exploring these virtual worlds for kids, too. This hour long seminar will feature speakers Tom Peters of TAP Information Services providing an overview of the growth of virtual worlds for kids, Cliff Zintgraff of Whyville providing an introduction and tour of Whyville, and Kelly Czarnecki of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County talking about why it is important for librarians and educators to be in virtual worlds such as Whyville. 

NOTE: This program will be repeated later on this date. See below. 

Host: Alliance Library System 

Location: OPAL Online Auditorium 

 
Tom Peters, OPAL Coordinator
 
TAP Information Services
1000 SW 23rd Street
Blue Springs, MO 64015
phone: 816-228-6406
email: tpeters at tapinformation.com 
web: www.tapinformation.com
Skype: tapeters4466 
 
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