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Cohort 3 - Nevada XR Libraries: Home

→ Go back to the Nevada XR Libraries Initiative page.

Welcome to the newest members of the Nevada XR Libraries program! Here you should find nearly all of the information and documentation you will need to get moving on the project and start transforming lives. 

Don't forget, you can always contact Joy (jholt@admin.nv.gov) at the State Library for assistance with anything Nevada XR Libraries or VR related. 

Photo courtesy of Henderson Library System. 

Photo courtesy of Pershing County High School. 

January

Receive & setup equipment

Demo & train library staff

Prepare a statistics reporting workflow - we expect weekly statistics updates

Prepare marketing materials and deploy them

Watch previous webinars to gain familiarity with project/equipment
February

First public XR event!

Develop a programming plan for weekly events

Continue watching webinars (should have a new one each week)

Continue reporting statistics - we expect weekly statistics updates
March

You should be settling into a routine now - begin thinking about the Libraries = Education component

This will mean developing connections with your local schools, school librarians, and science teachers to use the XR equipment in educational programs. 

Continue weekly programming

Continue watching webinars (should have a new one each week)

Continue reporting statistics - we expect weekly statistics updates
April

Develop Libraries = Education connections, begin holding events or embedding in classes

Continue weekly programming

Continue watching webinars (should have a new one each week)

Continue reporting statistics - we expect weekly statistics updates
May

Libraries = Education project continues with clear outcomes developed between the school & library

Continue weekly programming

Continue watching webinars (should have a new one each week)

Continue reporting statistics - we expect weekly statistics updates
June

Wrap up Libraries = Education partnership, write up reports 

Continue weekly programming - this may change with Summer Reading

Continue watching webinars (should have a new one each week)

Continue reporting statistics - we expect weekly statistics updates

 

Equipment setup

The HTC Vive should come with a setup guide to help you get started. The following video is also a great resource to help in the setup process. 

Accounts setup

You will need to set up four separate accounts to gain access to the full range of resources available. 

XRLearn - Your one-stop page for community engagement and all about the XRLearn's projects

  • Click Sign Up in the upper right corner of the page
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to set up your XRLearn account
  • If your library has not been registered as an XRLearn library, please contact Mike Valenti (mwvalenti@gmail.com) for help. 

Viveport - Information and assistance with your VIVE headgear

  • Click Sign In in the upper right corner of the page
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to set up an HTC account or sign into your social media account to connect

Steampowered

  • Click the Install Steam application in the upper right corner of the page
  • Click Create A New Account on the login page and follow the onscreen instructions

Lifeliqe - Your main source for XR programming and content

  • Click Sign In to Web App in the upper right corner of the page
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to set up a Lifeliqe account or sign into your social media account to connect
  • Here is a step by step guide for setting up Lifelique
  • Need help? Contact Mark Andersen (mark@lifelique.com) 

Springboard - Educational VR content, 20 titles now with more planned.

  • Every library should already have a Springboard account, if not get in touch with Solomon. 
  • Solomon will help set up appointments with all pilot libraries for personal help with Springboard (solomon@xrlibraries.com) 

 

Pilot libraries in the Nevada XR Libraries program are expected to hold regular (weekly) events with the XR equipment. These events should be a combination of easy drop-in programs and planned programs or workshops. Themed events or workshops are a great opportunity to showcase how the XR equipment fits into a larger educational goal. You can find more about developing a program for your XR equipment here: https://nsla.libguides.com/developing-a-program 

Pilot libraries are also expected to update their own page on our website. Each library in the pilot program is listed on the 'Pilot Libraries' page, and those links go to the LibGuide page for your library. You should have received an email about setting up your LibGuides account, but if not contact Joy at the State Library and she will help you. This is a place for you to post photos, promotional materials, and blog posts. You can also borrow promotional materials from other pilot libraries using this feature.

Pilot libraries are expected to submit a weekly statistics report. Remember, we are using this pilot program as a model for future statewide projects and we will be presenting these findings to the Nevada Legislature in the 2019 biennium. As such, collected information should be accurate and honest. The weekly statistics form is available here: https://nsla.libguides.com/NVXRL-stats/home.

  • This survey has three sections:
    • collecting data about the number of XR users and the number of new library cards due to interest in the XR equipment
    • collecting responses from XR users that connect back to our LSTA goals
    • and a section on the professional development of librarians and library staff involved in the project. 
  • To make collecting this data every week easier, consider a basic tally sheet at the point where a patron would get a library card. Additionally, the survey linked below is to give to any patron who has just completed an XR experience. 
  • Statistics and data reporting is due Fridays by 5pm.

Pilot libraries are expected to engage with the Libraries = Education component of the Nevada XR Libraries program starting in March/April. Libraries = Education is a strategic partnership between Nevada XR pilot libraries and their nearby school system(s), school librarian(s), and teachers. Here's what we're thinking:

  • Make a connection with a high school librarian, to work with students aged 13-18. 
  • Invite the school librarian to the public library for a demonstration, or take the VR to them. 
  • School librarian makes a connection with a science teacher for a project that can show outcomes. Devise a way to implement Lifelique content into existing science curriculum parameters, either as extra credit or a supplemental classroom activity. 
  • Use surveys to measure outcomes. 

Promotion is an integral part of the pilot program--and it also counts toward your professional development metrics. Posters, social media, newspaper articles, blog posts, emails, and patron engagement are all forms of promotion. There's no one answer to the question "How should I promote the XR experience?" Your library may find that one type of promotion may work better than others. For example, you may have patrons responding well to colorful posters displayed in prominent locations but show little enthusiasm for reading promotional emails. Go with what works for you.

Keep in mind that promotion and marketing is an ongoing process that will need to be performed throughout the pilot program, with specific demographics targeted with different messaging. Youth patrons will respond to different marketing tactics (think social media) than senior citizens (think newspaper articles). Don't assume that one type of promotion will reach all interested individuals or target groups. You must actively court individual patron groups to further the reach of this new technology. 

Don't forget to upload your promotional materials onto your library's LibGuide webpage. The image to the right was created for Nevada XR Libraries events at the Green Valley Library in Henderson, Nevada. 

Cleaning & Maintenance

Do not expose VIVE to liquid (including water and disinfectant sprays) as it can damage the headset sensors. To clean the headset, use a dry cloth. The controllers house the same sensors, so do not expose them to liquid either.

HTC provides a microfiber cloth to clean dust and smudges off of the lenses. HTC suggests using only the provided cloth to avoid scratching.

Avoid set-up and storage areas that are exposed to direct sunlight. The sensors on the headset, controllers, and base stations can all be damaged by sunlight.

Many of the games available for the Vive require activity, so you're probably going to sweat. This will eventually get on the headset's foam material. However, the foam is easily removed and can be cleaned with a damp cloth or disinfectant spray and air dried. We recommend purchasing a washable cover for the foam gasket to prevent sweat accumulation.

You can also purchase disposable cloth masks for users to wear between their face and the HTC Vive. 

Troubleshooting 

It's inevitable that things will go wrong with your XR technology from time to time. It's important that the XR program leader be willing to first troubleshoot and attempt to solve problems independently. If you're not getting anywhere or the problem will require more expertise that your staff possesses, feel free to reach out to the appropriate contact for assistance.