An environmental scan of virtual and augmented reality services in academic libraries

Abstract

Purpose The growing popularity of virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) technologies, and increased research into their educational uses, has seen them appearing in a significant number of academic libraries. Little is known, however, about how many libraries have actually adopted these technologies or how they have structured library services around them. The purpose of this paper is to answer these questions. Design/methodology/approach The authors surveyed the websites of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries to gather information about the availability of VR and AR equipment as well as information about how access is provided. Recorded details about these services included information about staffing, dedicated space, software, what type of technology was offered and whether or not the technology was lent out or only made available for in-library use. Findings Results of the research project showed that a significant number of ARL-member libraries do offer access to VR technology. AR technology was much less widespread. The most common technologies offered were the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The technology was most typically offered for in-library use only. There were few details about staff or what software was offered to be used with the technology. Originality/value While there is growing research around how VR and AR is being used in education, little research has been undertaken into how libraries are adopting these technologies. This paper summarizes the research that has been done so far and also takes the next step of providing a larger picture of how widespread the adoption of VR and AR technologies has been within academic libraries, as well as how access to these technologies is being provided.

Editorial: Special selection on contemporary digital culture and reading

“…Technology has now been widely used for improving cultural services and is not just limited to academia or libraries (Dalili Saleh et al , 2021; Greene and Groenendyk, 2021; Noh, 2021; Suen et al , 2020; Zhou et al , 2021; Li and Liu, 2022; Xin, 2022). In particular, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) has drawn much attention.…”

Librarians’ utilization of innovative information dissemination tools in reaching out to virtual users

“…Marketing of the library’s physical resources and facilities has been taken to another level where remote users get to see the actual spaces and artifacts regardless of location and time barriers. A study by Greene and Groenendyk (2019), which aimed to ascertain the integration of AR in academic libraries, discovered that AR was less adopted in academic libraries and was offered in-library use only. This presents an opportunity for the future to extend the usage of these to remote users as well.…”

XR Accessibility Initiatives in Academic Libraries

“…34 surveys were completed, with participants from 30 institutions (four of the institutions each had two participants). In their 2019 review of academic library websites, Greene and Groenendyk (2021) identified 33 ARL‐member libraries hosting XR programs, thus this sample is fairly representative of current academic library XR programs. Participants' indicated their “highest educational degree attained” as follows: 14.29% (n = 5) bachelors, 60.00% (n = 21) masters, 22.86% (n = 8) doctorate, and 2.86% (n = 1) indicated “other.” Participants indicated their professional identity as follows: 37.21% (n = 16) as technologists, 34.88% (n = 15) as librarians, 6.98% (n = 3) as administrators, and 20.93% as “other” (n = 9; 4 of which identified as instructional designers or educators).…”