“Virtual Reality Demo” by National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technology is steadily increasing in popularity and adoption within a variety of settings. There are a number of VR/AR tools and devices available with varying levels of advancement and pricing. Some of these include HTC VIVE, the Oculus Rift by Facebook, and Google Cardboard that are used with apps such as Tiltbrush by Google and Google Earth  (Frost et al., 2020). Both VR and AR technologies offer an immersive experience, through a combination of video and computer-generated imaging (Craig & Georgieva, 2018), allowing users to be transported to a whole new world! The implications for adopting such technologies within information agency settings are incredibly vast, with immeasurable potential uses, particularly in educational settings.

There are many advantages of VR and AR technologies. For academic and school libraries, a primary advantage of utilising these technologies is the expansion of the library collection further beyond print and digital materials. Thus, as information is provided through rich and highly interactive experiences, the user may “retain it more readily than reading it in a book” (Hannah et al., 2009). Through such technologies, students can visualise and experience concepts and phenomena that otherwise would be difficult to comprehend such as space science theories or historical events or even medical procedures.

However, there are some disadvantages and limitations to VR and AR technologies. One such disadvantage is issues with student data, privacy and consent, as discussed by Craig and Georgiva (2018). Their article explores concerning language found in the privacy policy of the Oculus rift headset stating that although they do not own the user content, they retain the right to use the data and information however they please! Hence, there are obvious concerns with this as it could result in “capturing data related to students’ physical movements and, eventually through biometrics, capturing their emotional states” (Craig & Georgiva, 2018).

In order for academic and school libraries to effectively serve the users’ needs in the 21st century, we need to seriously consider the role of VR and AR technologies in enhancing and developing information literacy. We also need to be aware of the challenges related to implementing such technologies and develop strategies and creative ways in addressing them. If we do so well, the possibilities with VR and AR are endless!

References

Craig, E., & Georgieva, M. (2018, April 10). VR and AR: The ethical challenges ahead. Educause review. https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2018/4/vr-and-ar-the-ethical-challenges-ahead

Frost, M., Goates, M. C., Cheng, S., & Johnston, J. (2020). Virtual Reality. Information Technology and Libraries, 39(1).

Hannah, M., Huber, S., & Matei, S. A. (2019). Collecting virtual and augmented reality in the twenty-first century library. Collection Management, 44(2-4), 277-295. doi:10.1080/01462679.2019.1587673