Virtual libraries as virtual learning spaces: the experiences of the LASSIE project

This paper reports on outcomes from the LASSIE (Libraries and Social Software in Education) project, which was funded by the University of London Centre for Distance Education (CDE) for nine months from March to November 2007. The project aimed to explore how ‘social software’ or ‘Web 2.0’ might enhance the use of library services by distance learners and was led by a team from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Institute of Education University of London (IoE); project partners also included London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the University of London Research Library Services and the Open University Library. The project addressed two concerns: firstly that University of London External Programme students, who study entirely at a distance, seldom make full use of the electronic library resources available to them. Secondly, LASSIE provided an opportunity to explore how social software is affecting libraries and their services. The project gathered evidence about which technologies enhance the experience of students, specifically distance learners, and those which seem less valuable. The project also provided advice for the wider library community.