Through the use of a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, users can be completely immersed in computer-generated, 3D environments that they can interact with. This differs from Augmented Reality (AR), which superimposes computer-generated elements onto the real world, using devices such as smartphones or specialized glasses. Much like how podcasting has seen a resurgence in recent years, so too has VR after the failed attempts in the 1990s. In 2017, due to price decreases of headsets, content creators using VR headsets, and large investments being made in VR companies, consumers began to purchase headsets at a rate never seen before. At the time, the primary competitors were HTC, with the HTC Vive, Facebook (now known as Meta), with the Oculus Rift, and Sony, with PlayStation VR. The aforementioned VR headsets were examples of wired VR, which involves a headset being connected to a computer with a wire. Other kinds of VR headset technology include standalone VR, where users can just use the headset out of the box, and mobile VR, which involves placing a smartphone into a headset and viewing the phone through the headset. Although mobile VR was the least expensive option, this form of VR has fallen out of popularity due to Google Cardboard being discontinued, having poor visual graphics, and the other VR technologies having their costs drastically cut. Wired VR and standalone VR both have pros and cons, and the choice between the two really depends on what the user wants out of the experience. For example, due to being tethered to a computer, wired VR headsets can run experiences at a higher resolution and have access to the entire Steam library of VR applications, but lack the mobility of standalone VR headsets and are often heavier to wear. Standalone VR headsets give the user great mobility in terms of 360-degree tracking and can be used straight out of the box, but lack the graphical capabilities of wired VR and have a limited number of software applications available due to the proprietary store accessed within the headset.
In this author’s Innovation Roadmap, he discusses that one of the ways that libraries have been supporting workforce development is by offering virtual, immersive job simulations that can be accessed through virtual reality (VR) headsets. These headsets, which users can check out from the library, enable users to perform job duties that industry professionals perform in a low-risk, safe environment. Furthermore, these simulations also allow users the opportunity to determine if they would like to pursue the field or not. These VR workforce development initiatives are very important in the context of AI and other automated technologies eliminating jobs with tasks that are repetitive and predictable. Users can utilize these initiatives to learn new skills that are valuable in in-demand fields and actually earn credentials along the way to take to future employers.
Moving beyond just programs for adults, libraries have also been using VR to foster creativity and inspire exploration for kids and young adults. For example, the Sonoma County Library (SCL)