A Marathon Not a Sprint: Lessons Learned In Using Virtual Reality With Archival Collection

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Session Description

Emerging technologies and virtual reality are becoming more common place in libraries and beyond. This is largely a reflection of the changing educational landscape. The presenter will discuss a student and librarian led research initiative at a four-year public university. Inspired by projects such as “Back Up Ukraine”, the librarian sought to explore tools and technologies that could be utilized in preserving archival collections and making them more accessible. The project centered on creating an interactive virtual archive. By 3-d scanning objects from the library archives and creating an immersive, interactive experience through virtual reality, the team created new channels for users to engage with these historical artifacts. Research participants in this project explored how emerging technologies, and virtual reality can foster empathy and improve contextual understanding around library collections. One of the takeaways from this session will include an introduction to free or low-cost tools that can be leveraged for 3-d modeling. Additionally, attendees will strategize ways in which virtual reality can improve accessibility to library resources to increase student engagement. This project not only fostered research initiatives, but also created strong partnerships between librarians and students through technological experimentation. Explore lessons learned in project management, technical development, preservation, accessibility and engagement through this three-year project. How might these technologies inspire creative endeavors at your own institution? Attendees will be invited to engage in an interactive discussion while brainstorming how they could leverage emerging technologies to enhance student engagement at their own organizations.

Presenter(s)

Alison Valk
Georgia Tech
Atlanta, GA, USA

Alison Valk is the Emerging Technologies Librarian for the Georgia Tech Library. She studied art at the University of Georgia and holds a BBA in Computer Information Systems from Georgia State University and a Master's in Library and Information Studies from Florida State University. In 2016, she became the program manager and service owner of the Library's Media Scholarship Commons. She coordinates the multimedia services and training, having over a decade of experience designing educational programs. She teaches numerous workshops each year on professional multimedia software, including tools for video/ audio editing and graphic design. Prior to her current roles she served as instructional coordinator where she oversaw the development of the Library’s educational curriculum and led specialized programs including a federal IMLS(Institute for Museum and Library Services) grant funded initiative that integrates arts-based projects and library resources into the curriculum. She currently leads research initiatives focused on the use of virtual reality and emerging technologies in libraries. Her book “Making Virtual Reality a Reality” discussing this work was published in 2023.

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