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In spring semester 2009, two of the authors taught LIB 5020-Information Sources & Services to graduate library science students at Appalachian State University. The course covers information seeking patterns and provides an overview of reference services. The course is also designed to examine and evaluate library reference materials and other information sources (print, audiovisual and electronic) used in support of informational and recreational needs of youth and adults. This paper discusses one class assignment, in which the students were paired together to role play the reference interaction between a librarian and student in a 3D virtual learning community. This paper reports the assignment's evolution, learning objectives, discusses the students' reactions to working as a virtual librarian, and includes ways to improve the assignment in the future.KEYWORD virtual reference, 3D virtual learning environment, reference interview, 3D worlds, library science assignment BACKGROUND

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The topic of transportation incorporates a vast amount of divergent information. The subject matter varies greatly, and includes titles ranging from Camels of the Outback to The Great American Motion Sickness; or Why You Can't Get There from Here. To establish boundaries for this resource guide, the present authors referred to Public Law 87-449, 14 May 1962, which authorized the president to proclaim an annual National Transportation Week. Using this as a basis, they defined transportation As the movement of people or goods from one place to another, and included a little tourism to break up the concrete and steel. While some historical materials are included, this resource guide emphasizes modes of transportation currently used in the United States.

SummaryDelivering library instruction to off-campus students offers numerous challenges. The varying needs of the teaching faculty and user need to be considered. Does the user need general information, specific database searching techniques, or want to know more about ILLiad? What about "point of need?" Can this information be integrated into the off-campus classes? At Appalachian State University Libraries we are using an array of online tools and are exploring others. An interactive guide, Virtual Research @ ASU Libraries: A Guide for Off-campus Students, uses animations to provide information about library services and procedures. With faculty in Instructional Technology, we built a virtual library to deliver research assistance within AppEdTech (a 3-D virtual teaching environment). We have provided orientations to the virtual library (led by a librarian avatar) via voice-over-IP. WebCT also provides a number of opportunities to deliver information, including the faculty professional development course, Preparing to Teach Online, which contains a library support and information literacy module. During 2006, we will experiment with screen casting to provide mini tutorials, small group discussions within WebCT and offering Instant Messaging to our distance learning community.