The Library at the End of the Universe closed on Second Life March 22nd, 2022.

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The Library at the End of the Universe is a STEM awareness parcel and complete readable library on Second Life. With hundreds of titles in multiple languages sourced from the public domain, there is plenty to choose from.

 

Visitors to the Library from around the world can read the books for free on a medium which the books are transferred to on Second Life, normally a note card or scripted object that can be attached as a HUD for easy reading of the books. All literature is sourced exclusively from Gutenberg.org with content presented set to follow ALA guidelines. Scientific material presented is sourced from U.S. Government websites such as NASA and like the Gutenberg.org material do not hold a copyright.

 

While the second Library at the End of the Universe is more compact than the original which was open for quite some time on Second Life (see: Second Life Archive Events), it's design is more effective and can be accessed easily in a short amount of time.

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The content given to visitors at the Library at the End of the Universe is set to 'copy', 'transfer', but 'no modify' in the settings in order for those who collect the books to be able to give them away while not changing the contents of the book themselves. This keeps the content of the books from being altered by those who would pick up the books in the Library at the End of the Universe and decide to give the objects away themselves. All of the Gutenberg.org rules and links are presented in every book to allow each reader to study the most appropriate and ethical use of the works for themselves.

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The Library also contains a number of displays around the ground level, underwater area, Planetarium, Game Room and Theater.

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To get to the Library at the End of the Universe, visitors will require a Second Life or compatible third party viewer like Firestorm and follow this link while signed on to Second Life and be teleported to the current Library at the End of the Universe area:

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Areas of the Library:

 

Main Library Building

 

The main Library Building contains hundreds of books in multiple languages read in Second Life through a note card or HUD based book. To collect the book items, simply click the book and accept the prompt to collect the book into your inventory. Visitors access the books from their own inventory and do not have to follow an external link to read the content.

 

While the books are all within the public domain and the information with may be dated, each title exhibited is intended to follow the ALA guidelines in regards to content. Although each book in every language can not be reviewed thoroughly, every effort is taken to select works acceptable to modern day educators, librarians, and rules posted by Linden Labs who is the company behind Second Life.

 

More content is added regularly. Join the Library at the End of the Universe Second Life group for updates.

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Planetarium

 

A very basic display of the local Solar System to include an animated display model of the planets in motion and holographic displays with some information about each planet listed.

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Game Room

 

The Library's game room features a lot of memory and classic games to include Chess, Checkers, Reversi, Khet, Memory Mad, Senet, Mahjong, Crossword, Turtle Egg Solitaire, Memory Invaders, Code Breaker, Twisty Puzzle Cube, Memory Card Game, Gomoku, Sea Battle, and more!

 

The radio in the Game Room can change the parcel's audio settings. To change the station, simply click on the radio and select the radio stream you would like to listen to at the Library at the End of the Universe.

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Underwater Exhibits

 

Stretching underneath the Main Library Building and the the Theater the underwater exhibits include two full interior vehicles to explore that are based off of real world technology, a host of sea animals to study, and a good area to test the free swim HUD provided at a locker near the entrance of the Library at the End of the Universe.

 

 

The Underwater exhibits are separated into two areas: an underwater open area and a observation building which contains educational information about reef sharks, weather, the food chain, and reefs. To enter the underwater open area simply fall in to have a look around or use the swim HUD to experience a more 'graceful' entrance to the underwater exhibit area. To access the observation building enter the lift near the main entrance and select 'Observation'.

 

The underwater vehicles are the DSRV Avalon and Helgoland Underwater Lab, both giving visitors a visual idea and interactive experience about what functions the vehicles serve. There are books in German and a functional radio inside of the Helgoland.

 

Don't worry about the shark, it doesn't attack swimmers.

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Theater

 

The Theater (or Theater at the End of the Universe) presents media from the public domain sourced from Archive.org and no media shown holds a copyright. While mostly technical education material from the U.S. Government presented in black and white, the Theater at the End of the Universe can also be used for public speaking events and moderated discussions. Activate your Second Life viewer media settings in order to see the presentation.

 

Teleport HUB(s)

 

Both the ground level next to the Main Library Building and the Underwater Exhibit Area have teleport HUBS which lead visitors to many STEM destinations around Second Life! Destinations include Genome Island, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Amakuni Geothermal Power Plant, Virtual Black History Museum, Sagan Planetarium, Abyss Observatory, David Rumsey Maps, Spaceport UK, Museum of Nuclear Warfare, International Spaceflight Museum, Motown Museum, National Space Society, Museum of Naval Aviation, Oasis Zoo, Jules Verne Museum, and many more! To access these areas click the arrows on the sign posts.

 

The Underwater Exhibit Area teleport HUB is located near the Underwater Observation Building and are blue glowing portals that lead to nature and swimming areas around second life which include Gulf of Tonkin (1970), Brigantine, River's Bend, Jeogeot Gulf, Creations Park, Ice Bay, The Gene Pool, Abyss, Lordshore Cove, and Kelp Fields!

 

Free Items

 

Other than books, there are many free items located around the Library at the End of the Universe. Click items you suspect might contain potentially useful Adventure gear for your avatar while exploring Second Life! All items at the Library at the End of the Universe (and Theater at the End of the Universe) are free and no commercialism takes place on the virtual property.

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Library at the End of the Universe Volunteers

 

If you require assistance while at the Library at the End of the Universe, contact the volunteers listed in the group and on the information boards at the entrance. The volunteers normally wear blue 'flight suits' and have their group volunteer tag active while signed-on at the Library at the End of the Universe.

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