Squaring the triangle: Games, Second Life and Libraries

July 26, 2007
John Kirriemuir | Independent Researcher

What on earth have the “low cultures” of video games, and running around as a made-up avatar in a make-believe digital world, got to do with the “high culture” world of literacy, books and education? Fresh from the American Library Association conference on the intersections of these disciplines, this presentation will provide a bang up-to-date summary of current thinking on how these seemingly opposed concepts relate to each other. Audience members should come with a sense of humour and an open mind.

Speaker Details

John Kirriemuir lives on an island (population 128) in the Outer Hebrides, some way off the west coast of Scotland. His broadband connection doesn’t work at low tide. Despite this, for some odd reason lots of people read his blog (www.silversprite.com).When he isn’t blogging, working, trying to finish the original Halo on the hardest level, or strolling on the beach, John works in three areas as an independent researcher:1. The compilation, management of, and access to, digital information and knowledge, especially in the education and research sectors, and in rural communities.2. The development and use of digital library services, especially for educational and research purposes, and in rural communities.3. The uses of digital games, especially within the education, health and European research sectors, in rural communities, and the preservation of this media.His other hobbies include eating, drinking and failing to lose weight.