Reflection Blog: Viewing the Horizon Through Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is the newest way to explore the world around you, and it’s arrived at Fraser Valley Regional Library sites, including Sardis Library (Peters, 2017).

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 (Moor Insights and Strategy, 2018). 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 (Moor Insights and Strategy, 2018). 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 offer users great mobility in terms of 360-degree tracking and can be used straight out of the box, but they 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 2025, users have a wide range of VR headsets to choose from, including the PSVR2, Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3, Pico 4 Ultra, HTC Vive Pro2, Valve Index, HP Reverb G2, and Big Screen Beyond 2 (Greenwald, 2025).

In this author’s Innovation Roadmap, he discusses one way libraries have been supporting workforce development 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 (Adams Becker et al., 2017; CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 2017; Enis, 2024; Felt et al., 2021; Lifeliqe, 2022; McShane, 2018). 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 crucial in the context of AI and other automated technologies eliminating jobs that involve repetitive and predictable tasks (Felt et al., 2021; Merisotis, 2020). 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. Adults from underserved communities, including minorities, women, the unhoused, and veterans, benefit the most from these types of programs due to their low cost, asynchronous learning, and the opportunity to learn from the comfort of their homes or libraries. Furthermore, adults who struggle to learn in a traditional student-lecturer environment also benefit from a self-directed learning environment. Project SANDI is an excellent example of a VR workforce development initiative, as the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation and the Office of Economic Development in Nevada were able to offer VR job training simulations and 360-degree career navigation videos of STEM careers to “dislocated” individuals through a partnership with libraries, credential providers, and workforce partners (Enis, 2024; Lifeliqe, 2022).

References

Adams Becker, S., Cummins, M., Davis, A., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Ananthanarayanan, V., Langley, K., and Wolfson, N. (2017). NMC horizon report: 2017 library edition. The New Media Consortium. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hxs7kuv54vwew0cpg6570/2017nmchorizonreportlibraryEN.pdf?rlkey=h978y9r0bnmnylqbdcmfmud4s&e=1&st=nycjhcpg&dl=0

CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. (2017, August 14). Virtual reality anatomy lab at Colorado State University [YouTube video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDrLMgYZcac

Enis, M. (2024, July 25). Nevada libraries launch workforce development program with VR, Librarians-in-residence. Library Journal. https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/nevada-libraries-launch-workforce-development-program-with-vr-librarians-in-residence

Felt, E., Glover, H., Heise, K., Iaukea, E., & Westergard, T. (2021, September 23). Supporting patrons to obtain in-demand credentials that boost employability and career mobility [Webinar]. Public Library Association. https://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars/ondemand/credentials

Greenwald, W. (2025, July 4). The best VR headsets for 2025. PC Mag. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-vr-headsets#

Lifeliqe. (2022, October 4). Project SANDI. https://www.lifeliqe.com/case-studies/project-sandi

McShane, M. (2018, June 13). Is virtual reality the future of field trips? Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemcshane/2018/06/13/is-virtual-reality-the-future-of-field-trips/#626ae5d91809

Merisotis, J. (2020). Human work in the age of smart machines. (1st ed.). RosettaBooks

Moor Insights and Strategy. (2018, January 2). Virtual reality in 2017: A year in review. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/moorinsights/2018/01/02/virtual-reality-in-2017-a-year-in-review/

Peters, J. (2017, October 5). Library brings virtual reality to life. The Chilliwack Progress. https://www.theprogress.com/community/library-brings-virtual-reality-to-life-1871842