Reference service in Second Life: an overview

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of how reference service is provided in the 3D virtual world, Second Life (SL), and to further the professional understanding of the newest reference “frontier” and its impact on the library reference world. Design/methodology/approach A survey study was conducted to examine the nature and practice of reference service provided by volunteer reference practitioners in SL. Different aspects of SL reference were studied, including types of reference questions, types of reference sources, communication methods, reference competencies and differences between SL reference and real life reference. Findings The paper reveals that, as an independent service point, the SL reference desk serves mostly SL‐related information needs and reference librarians rely heavily on their personal knowledge to answer users' questions. One distinct feature of the SL reference desk is its social nature. It functions both as a place for social gathering and a place for information and reference service. Practical implications This study investigates various aspects of SL reference service and introduces the new reference development to a larger audience. Findings from this study will help practitioners who are interested in adopting new technologies in reference work obtain a thorough understanding of SL reference and its value to their respective communities, and hence, design better virtual services for users. Originality/value This study is the first study to systematically examine reference activities in SL and present in‐depth views on the nature and practice of SL reference.