7/17/2008

Relay for Life in Second Life

People often wonder whether Second life has any use other than enjoyment and entertainment. There are, of course, may educational institutions who maintain a presence and conduct classes. The Second Life Library is a flourishing community dedicated to helping people find information on a wide variety of subjects and many businesses had established themselves there.

Second Life residents also support several charities, one of which is Relay for Life. Events are planned throughout the world culminating in the 24 hour relay scheduled for this weekend. Apart from the relay 33 sims have events planned to educate and entertain you and encourage you to part with your lindens

In 2004 Second Life’s Relay For Life Gala raised US$2,000.00

In 2005 Second Life's Relay For Life raised
US$5,000.00

In 2006 Second Life's Relay For Life raised
US$41,000

In 2007 Second Life's Relay For Life raised
US$118,500

That gives Relay a grand total of having raised
US$166,500.00 in Second Life for the American Cancer Society.

In 2008 as of July 13 Relay For Life of Second Life has raised
US$160,128.92

So this year already the total raised is almost as much as the combined total of the previous four years. I have several friends who are or were stricken with this dreaded disease and I'll be there to help raise money for cancer research in the hope that one day the world will be cancer-free. If you attend and see my avatar Galia Beck please stop me and say "Hi!".

7/14/2008

Free !

Free - how I love that word. Whether I'm finding things on the web or scrounging through shops in Second Life I'm always on the lookout for special bargains and freebies.

Sarah Houghton-Jan, Librarian in Black, has posted about free software cheat sheets available at http://www.customguide.com/quick_references.htm
. These are useful guides that may be printed out and made available in the library for clients who need assistance with a variety of software applications for Microsoft or Mac.

Now this may not be the type of freebie that everyone is falling over themselves to obtain, but I think most educational libraries will find the cheat sheets very useful and time-saving.