MUBIL: Creating a 3D Experience of "Reading Books" in a Virtual Library Laboratory

Abstract

Mubil, is a 3D laboratory established in 2012 by the University Library of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim (NTNU UB) in collaboration with the Percro lab of the University of Santa Anna in Pisa. The project focused first at the development of a consistent methodology for the use of Virtual Environments as a metaphor to present manuscripts and books. Then the project team developed a 3D game with context from the particular books and invited school classes to test it. Two school classes participated in our workshops and interacted with the 3D products in our 3D lab. The activity was organized as a field trip in collaboration with the subject teachers. The students worked in groups and they were observed, filmed and answered survey questions. A focus group was selected and interviewed. The present study has been using qualitative analysis to examine the user behavior and performance in such an environment. We present here the applications and some preliminary results of user performance analysis. Survey data and content analysis has shown that while the students participate in a group activity solving a task they tend to use their tacit knowledge of gaming in a 3D metaphor of the real world and thus share knowledge with each other. This creates a paradigm shift on how libraries and archives can communicate knowledge from their historical collections to young users through the use of technology. Our study can have a universal value added to the dissemination strategy discourse on designing solutions to attract younger audiences to archives and libraries.