Virtual Reality and Libraries

Virtual tours of a library are nothing new. There are tours of public and school libraries, and are available through both the library's website and YouTube. With virtual reality (VR) becoming more common, there are multiple ways of incorporating it into the library's programs. The ways that a library decides to incorporate virtual reality into its programs can help determine which VR system(s) to get. With so many different options, three different VR options will be explored below.

Made by Samsung, the Samsung Gear VR is a virtual reality system that works on a person's phone. It was developed with Oculus, and is able to use the apps that are exclusively available to Oculus' OS. The main disadvantage of the Samsung Gear VR is that it only works with certain Samsung phones so far.

A second option is the Zeiss VR One. This system has trays that work with both iPhones and Samsung devices. It is likely that in the future, templates for other devices will be developed that allow for 3D printing. For libraries that have 3D printers, this can bring people into the library.

Another option is Google Cardboard. There are multiple variations available, and there are also templates online that can be 3D printed. Templates are even available for making Google Cardboard devices from cardboard. Google is “already working with educators and libraries with apps and games specifically for education, with some for library use not far behind” (Lambert 2016, Google Cardboard para 1).

Lambert, T. (2016, February 24). Virtual Reality in the Library: Creating a New Experience.

    Retrieved from http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/02/virtual-reality-in-the-library-creating-a-
new-experience/