Many fields in librarianship were represented at Friday's Career Fair. JJ Jacobson (SL: JJ Drinkwater) spoke on digital publics, anytime reference, and the conversation of culture. Debbie Duncan (SL: Honoraria Paine) shared her experiences as a medical librarian in Second Life. Barbara Galick (SL: Puglet Dancer), an academic librarian at Bradley University, explained what libraries are looking for in today's job market. Dancer banished the fear of interviewing for the students in the audience, urging them to be themselves and encouraging them to bring their senses of humor to the interview.

Peggy Sheehy (SL: Maggie Marat) led a fascinating discussion on “Finding Your Tribe: Networking in Second Life.” As a public school teacher, she lent the perspective of not only a public school librarian, but also an educator who lives at the forefront of the technology her students experience every day, from World of Warcraft to podcasting. Marat created MetaVersEd Ltd., a consulting service dedicated to supporting the development of meaningful virtual spaces and accompanying authentic curriculum for K-12 education in multi-user virtual environments, otherwise known as MUVE's.

“Being a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, or transexual) Librarian in Today's Libraries”, an eloquent speech delivered by Samantha Hypatia Thompson (SL: Hypatia Dejavu), informed those attending the Library Career fair about all the “ins and outs” of safely becoming a LGBT librarian. Dejavu's vivid portrayal stirred the audience like few other speakers. Many were outraged at the present treatment LGBT librarians currently endure. Dejavu surely won many more supporters to the LGBT cause at the conclusion of her stirring personal account.

The Library Career Fair's activities were concluded by a social networking party mixer for both Career Fair and Library Fair participants and friends with DJ Gwen Carillon.

The Career Fair was followed the next day by the Alliance Virtual Library Library Fair. Micki McIntyre (SL: Derry McMahon) instructed attendees on growing a community library in Second Life through her experiences as creator of the West of Ireland Library and Cultural Center, known as the WOI. McIntyre said, “The WOI was created as a branch of the South Texas Celtic Music Association to spread awareness of and spread the organization's charitable efforts in support of Project Children. Project Children is a grassroots charity that reaches out to children in Northern Ireland, helping to breakdown cultural and interpersonal barriers between ethnic and religious groups that have existed in many cases for centuries.”

Joanne Brothers (SL: Vienna James), Public Relations Director of RezLibris, then spoke on supporting and promoting ingenuity via RezLibris. Participants, including this writer, were inspired to join the innovative staff at RezLibris and help promote virtual librarianship in all its forms.RezLibris was also one of the many education and library-related groups that set up an exhibit booth at the fair. Peaches Pessoa, a member of the Library Reference Group who volunteers to staff the reference desk on Info Island, won a YouTube playeras a door prize for visiting the RezLibris booth.

The final speaker of the Library Fair was P. Charles Livermore (SL: Hopalong Oh), a librarian at St. John's University, who spoke about his experiences in Second Life and the basics of building. A self-proclaimed beginner “who bumped into walls like any other newbie in Second Life,” Oh shared tricks and tips to encourage others to start contributing in any way they can. This informative dialog lent confidence to those who perhaps had logged into Second Life for the first time that weekend.

This collaborative two day event between the LIS Student Union and the Alliance Virtual Library far exceeded the expectations of those who organized it and those who attended. It was a celebratory tribute worthy of the Alliance Virtual Library's third anniversary, having furthered the professionalism, dedication and creativity of librarianship.