After reading the articles above, write a post of 400 words that considers one advantage of the use of either virtual or augmented reality and one disadvantage. Discuss in relation to a library or information organisation that you are familiar with.
When I think about virtual and augmented reality, I can’t help but think that we’re now well and truly in the ‘future.’ It’s one of those eerie things that I interact with every day, and that thought crosses my mind like a stone skipping across a pond. At the moment, my consistent experience with Augmented Reality (AR) and libraries has been checking into my local, Bracken Ridge Library.
Sometimes it’s hard to fathom that some technologies in sci-fi movies of the past have become our reality. In my opinion, No technology encompasses this more than virtual and augmented reality. So I hope you’re wondering what is AR and Virtual Reality (VR)? And how can they be useful in a library setting? Virtual reality (VR) is a computer modelling that gives people the access to interact with a sensory and visual 3-D environment (Lowood, H, 2020).
In contrast, augmented reality superimposes a computer or program generated perceptual information onto a video or image through a phone or camera lens (Lowood, H, 2020). To assist new and returning students in familiarising themselves with their library, Jacksonville implemented an AR game downloadable on students phones to assist them with the library (Tang, Y. 2020). A university located in my hometown called the Queensland University of Technology have introduced AR, VR and 360-degree video technologies as part of their realia. They aim to minimise the schism between traditional library realia and collection development in the form of I.T infrastructure (Thompson, E. 2018).
(Everyone’s favourite electrical mouse is now available in “reality!” Source: What is augmented reality, anyway? (theconversation.com)
As detailed in a study by Angela Sample (2020) from the College of Science and Engineering at Oral Roberts University, technologies such as these can help mitigate library anxiety. There are some drawbacks to having AR in libraries, the main one being resources and the scarcity for libraries to implement such a niche technology within their spaces. As libraries often struggle with their budgets and resources, finding space to fit a technology like AR and VR can be difficult (Thompson, E 2018).
The good news is that AR technologies are slowly being more affordable for libraries. An AR software company called Metaverse is making the tech more accessible (Tang, Y. 2020); however, it may be a very long time until these technologies are in every learning space. In summary, there are many advantages to using this technology, however budget constraints can limit its use.
References
Lowood, Henry E. (2020, 19 November). “Virtual reality”. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/technology/virtual-reality.
Sample, A. (2020, March). Using augmented and virtual reality in information literacy instruction to reduce library anxiety in non-traditional and international students. Information Technology and Libraries, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v39i1.11723
Thompson, E., (2018). Library adds lustre to QUT’s reputation as a tech-leader. INCITE, 39(11/12), 28 -29.
Tang, Y. (2020). Help first-year college students to learn their library through an augmented reality game. Houston Cole Library. 47 (1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102294.