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Second Life is a virtual world that's entirely built and owned by its residents. This vast digital continent is teeming with people, entertainment, and opportunities. It offers museums, concerts, immersive learning environments, a 19th-century world, and more. The Alliance Library System is one of the nine regional multitype library systems in Illinois that provides services to 259 libraries in a 14,000-square mile area. In April 2006, ALS established a library in Second Life. Through the Alliance Second Life Library project, a number of librarians from all over the globe are taking second lives and jobs in the Second Life 3-D virtual world library. It is also discovered that the residents in Second Life appreciated having an in-world access to the ALS services and materials. One of the amazing things about the Second Life Library is that everyone who is working on it is a volunteer. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges of building and maintaining the Second Life Library.

Sometimes a simple idea, such as selling gel bracelets that say "Libraries Matter" to raise money, can spark something much bigger. In this article, the authors explain how their Libraries Matter campaign grew beyond their own regional system to cover their whole state and eventually other points around the globe. This successful Web-based marketing and fundraising campaign was organized by the Alliance Library System (ALS), a consortium that serves 259 member libraries in Illinois. This campaign was created in response to concerns over the disappearance of school libraries through budget cuts and program eliminations. The Alliance management team decided on the following three goals for the one-year project: (1) develop an alternative funding demonstration project that would be primarily Web-based; (2) raise public awareness of the importance of libraries; and (3) utilize new Internet technology on the organization's Web site. The first target audience was ALS member libraries and their boards; the second was all the libraries in Illinois. The objectives for the first goal were to sell 10,000 bracelets to libraries and raise $5,000 to support the education of librarians. The objectives for the second goal were to create a key message that libraries could use to publicize their campaigns and develop press releases that libraries could reuse for their own purposes. Finally, the objectives for the third goal were to develop a Libraries Matter Web site separate from the Alliance's main Web site, create the capability for libraries to place orders and publicize their project goals on the new site, publicize success stories on there, and, eventually, develop a Libraries Matter blog and online photo gallery. The five phases of the project included the bracelet campaign, booths at state and national library conferences, an e-book called "Libraries Matter," a National Library Week e-card, and the dramatic Libraries Matter poster. The Libraries Matter Web site was launched on November 23, 2004 and was met with immediate success with orders quickly amassing. Publicity for the bracelets appeared on library-oriented blogs, in "Library Journal," some commercial Web sites, and a booth at the American Library Association conference in Chicago in June 2005, which led to more orders and requests for information. An audio e-book was produced with the title "Why Libraries Matter: A Story Long Overdue." The alternative funding demonstration succeeded in selling 63,350 bracelets, well over the 10,000 planned. The project raised $53,540. The bracelet dramatically raised public awareness around the world. "Libraries Matter" has become a rallying cry for librarians to use when advocating for legislation, working on fundraising, and campaigning for recognition, and exceeded all expectations.

The article offers information on the use of Web 3D and multi-user virtual environments by digital libraries. It is stated that libraries with stretched staff and shrinking budget were required to put up Websites in 1995; because of which virtual worlds like Second Life, Active Worlds and There.com were seen as new platform for distance learning by academic institution. It is stated that Second Life has registered a commendable growth of registered users from 180,000 to over 3,000,000 between April 2006 and February 2007. Collaborative virtual reference services enable libraries to assist one another and achieve 24/7 coverage.