VCARA Blog
VCARA Blog
This is an archive of older VCARA posts. The current website and blog location is https://ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu/vcara/, but the best way to connect is by joining the SJSU iSchool VCARA Discord channel.
The iSchool has hosted educational and social virtual world events as part of our Virtual Center for Archives and Records Administration (VCARA) since 2009. VCARA began in our MARA Program, but is open to any interested iSchool students, faculty, or staff. Managed by Bethany Winslow (Director of Online Learning) with participation by current students, alumni, and other virtual world colleagues, the VCARA website, blog, and Discord channel highlights the activities on our region in Second Life and other locations. We also collaborate with other educators and information professionals in-world, and we explore different social virtual reality platforms with our VR Exploders Club monthly outings. Join us!
Second Life Orientation Session
Published: December 23, 2015
New to Second Life? Join VCARA’s Marie Vans (amvans Lapis) on Sunday, January 17, 2016 @ Noon PST for an orientation on iSchool island! In about 30 minutes, you’ll learn some SL basics, visit the main buildings in VCARA, and discuss the different events and resources there.
The Dickens Project – A model for live interactive, project based engagement [Virtual Worlds Lecture]
Published: November 19, 2015
Virtual Worlds Guest Lecturer: Judith Cullen (RL) | Caledonia Skytower (SL), Seanchai Libraries – Library Lead
When: Tuesday, December 08, 2015 | Time: 6:00pm PST – 6:50pm PST
Location: We’ll meet at VCARA’s amphitheater on the SJSU iSchool Island at 6 p.m. SLT; then we’ll teleport to The Dickens Project for a tour and Q&A around 6:20 p.m. SLT.
A Tour of Libraries in Second Life – Beth S O’Connell/Beth Ghostraven
Published: November 5, 2015
Clickable SLURL:
A Tour of Museums in Second Life
Published: November 5, 2015
Clickable URL:
The Machinima of the Conference are Up
Published: May 8, 2015
If you missed the 6th Annual VCARA Conference in April, you can watch the machinima of both keynotes and all the mini presentations.
Come Visit the Aeronauts Exhibit while it’s still up
The traveling exhibit “The Aeronauts” exhibit put together by Sere Timeless, will be on display on VCARA until the end of summer. This wonderful exhibit tells the story of the hot air balloon including the first “duel in the air” and even the hot air balloon craze that showed up in ladies fashion. Come see the wacky variations on hot air balloon design complete with oars and wings that were thought to help steer the contraption.
Inaugural issue of Archeota features VCARA
Published: May 7, 2015
Our very own Jane Awesome/Kerri Keil wrote a great article on VCARA in the first issue of Archeota:
“Exploring next generation archives through VCARA”
Archeota is the official newsletter of the San José State University Society of American Archivists Student Chapter.
6th Annual VCARA Conference – Post Conference Review
Published: May 1, 2015
The 6th Annual VCARA Conference was held on April 21, 2015. It was well attended, which is not surprising considering the lineup of speakers.
Spotlight Interview – Albert “Skip” Rizzo
Published: April 27, 2015
Albert “Skip” Rizzo
Director for Medical Virtual Reality — Institute for Creative Technologies
Research Professor — USC Davis School of Gerontology –USC Keck School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Written by: Jennifer Christensen
Multimedia – Fall 2013 – Spring 2015
Published: April 24, 2015
Spring 2015 Alice Krueger/Gentle Heron Colloquial talk on March 31, 2015. People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds.
Spring 2015
Alice Krueger/Gentle Heron Colloquial talk on March 31, 2015. People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds. Machinima URL:
Gentle Heron/Alice Krueger – Colloquia Talk-Tuesday, March 31 6:00pm SLT
Published: April 16, 2015
Colloquium Talk on VCARA: People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds. Virtual Ability supports people with many types of disabling conditions and chronic illnesses in Second Life. Some require special accommodations. Learn how some persons use assistive technology or human assistance to access Second Life.
Colloquium Talk on VCARA:
People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds
April 16, 6:00pm SLT (Pacific) Moving Through Time and Space: U.S. Revolutionary War – Open House
Published: April 14, 2015
Interested in taking a class in Second Life? The SJSU iSchool’s Summer 2015 immersive learning course is:
287-10 Virtual Worlds: Moving Through Time and Space: U.S. Revolutionary War.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A CURRENT STUDENT TO TAKE THIS COURSE. You can take this course through the open education initiative
amvans Lapis/Marie Vans named Library Director for the Community Library on InWorldz
Published: April 13, 2015
The spring, 2015 VCARA estate manager, amvans Lapis/Marie Vans, was named Library director for the Community Library on the InWorldz Virtual World on April 12, 2015.
The spring, 2015 VCARA estate manager, amvans Lapis/Marie Vans, was named Library director for the Community Library on the InWorldz Virtual World on April 12, 2015.
Alice Krueger/Gentle Heron: People with Disabilities in Virtual Worlds – New Machinima
Published: April 6, 2015
SJSU iSchool Colloquium Series talk by Alice Krueger/Gental Heron at VCARA on March 31, 2015 is now available on the VCARA YouTube channel. If you missed the event, Gentle talk about how Virtual Ability supports people with many types of disabling conditions and chronic illnesses in Second Life. Some require special accommodations. Learn how some persons use assistive technology or human assistance to access Second Life.
Student Learning Experiences in Second Life – Student Panel from Spring 2014
Published: March 30, 2015
A new machinima is now available on the VCARA YouTube Channel. The “Student Learning Experiences in Second Life” machinima documents the student panel held on March 6, 2014.
Info Quest, new Virtual/Immersive Learning Environment to open with Seminar
Published: March 13, 2015
Greetings! You are invited to a Virtual Worlds/Immersive Learning Seminar which will feature the opening of Info Quest, a web-based library and location for librarians, museum staff, educators, library users, students, and anyone interested.
Summer Course Offered: Virtual Worlds: Moving Through Time and Space: U.S. Revolutionary War
Published: March 12, 2015
The San Jose State School of Information will offer an immersive learning course this summer in the virtual world of Second Life. The course is: 287-10 – Virtual Worlds: Moving Through Time and Space: U.S. Revolutionary War.
John Jamison – VCARA Colloquia Series – Tuesday, February 10, 2015, 6:00pm- 7:00pm PST
Published: January 27, 2015