Virtual Reality and Libraries

 

By John MacLeod

Virtual Reality has become a lot more mainstream within the last few years thanks to advances in technology, the pandemic, and the Metaverse. With the increase in popularity, libraries are looking to incorporate access to virtual reality resources in-house. There are a lot of factors to think about when purchasing a VR headset for the library, namely what headset to get, and where will patrons be able to use the headset within the library. The Middle Country Public Library has a great video on what VR headset to get depending on the library’s budget and patrons (Middle Country Public Library).

Academic libraries are most likely to have access and patrons that are interested in utilizing VR technology for academic or extracurricular use (Frost). Students had a lot of recommendations on what to use VR for like “virtually being part of significant historic events, exploring ecosystems, and visiting museums or other significant landmarks,” (Frost). Having access to the latest technology gives students the ability to voice their creative ideas or criticisms to help further technological advancements. Libraries having these technologies allows students to have a seat at the table to discuss the path forward and give another perspective on how technology is progressing.

Skeptics of virtual reality in libraries have also chimed in. Gillian D. Ellern and Laura Cruz, the publishers of “Black, White, and Grey: The Wicked Problem of Virtual Reality in Libraries,” have brought to light some “wicked problems” that virtual reality brings with it into libraries. They define wicked problems as “problems that were sufficiently complex that they defied conventional problem-solving methods,” (Ellern & Cruz). One of the major “wicked problems” brought up in the article was that virtual reality is inherently non-inclusive for people with disabilities affecting their vision and motor skills. This ends up being a double-edged sword because it is bringing technology and education to people that may not otherwise have access to it but excluding some people in the process. It seems there are multiple perspectives at play when integrating new technology into a library.

Work Cited

Ellern, Gillian D., and Laura Cruz. “Black, White, and Grey: The Wicked Problem of Virtual Reality in Libraries.” Information Technology and Libraries, vol. 40, no. 4, 2021, https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v40i4.12915.

Frost, Megan, et al. “Virtual Reality: A Survey of Use at an Academic Library.” Information Technology and Libraries, vol. 39, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1–12, https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v39i1.11369.

Middle Country Public Library. (2019). Introduction to Virtual Reality in your library. YouTube. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg9ZJ24nvUY.