Leveraging Browser-based VR for GLAM Institutions: Broadening Access to African and Diaspora Cultural Heritage
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Aisha L. Abdul Rahman
Abstract
This chapter explores the transformative potential of browser-based virtual reality (vR) platforms for Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAMs). By eliminating the need for specialized hardware, browser-based vR democratizes access to cultural heritage, making immersive experiences available to diverse audiences. The chapter examines the use of platforms like Mozilla Hubs and Spatial.io, offering a comparative analysis of their features and applications within GLAM contexts. Drawing on case studies from projects such as the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum and the California State Railroad Museum, it demonstrates how institutions can leverage browser-based vR to create engaging, cost-effective virtual exhibits and educational tools. Strategies for implementation, including planning, platform selection, and overcoming common challenges, are outlined to provide GLAM professionals with practical guidance. The chapter concludes by highlighting how browser-based vR fosters inclusivity, accessibility, and innovative approaches to heritage preservation and education, positioning it as a key tool in the future of GLAM institutions.
Abstract
This chapter explores the transformative potential of browser-based virtual reality (vR) platforms for Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAMs). By eliminating the need for specialized hardware, browser-based vR democratizes access to cultural heritage, making immersive experiences available to diverse audiences. The chapter examines the use of platforms like Mozilla Hubs and Spatial.io, offering a comparative analysis of their features and applications within GLAM contexts. Drawing on case studies from projects such as the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum and the California State Railroad Museum, it demonstrates how institutions can leverage browser-based vR to create engaging, cost-effective virtual exhibits and educational tools. Strategies for implementation, including planning, platform selection, and overcoming common challenges, are outlined to provide GLAM professionals with practical guidance. The chapter concludes by highlighting how browser-based vR fosters inclusivity, accessibility, and innovative approaches to heritage preservation and education, positioning it as a key tool in the future of GLAM institutions.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Navigating Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Integration in Library and Information Science: Insights from Four National Libraries 1
- Integrating AI Tools into Stem Research 25
- Ocean Data Management and EU Database Sui Generis Right 53
- Leveraging Browser-based VR for GLAM Institutions: Broadening Access to African and Diaspora Cultural Heritage 77
- Preservation and Digital Repositories: Connections, Possibilities, and Needs 111
- Research Data Management: A Study with Special Reference to Smart Libraries 135
- Telepresence Robots in the GLAM sector: Bridging Divides for an Inclusive and Equitable Smart Society 157
- NLP Driven Citation Analysis of Legal Scholarship: Challenges and Opportunities 177
- ChatGPT and the Future of Library Reference Services 203
- Next-Gen Librarianship: Exploring the Potential of Metaverse in Information Spaces 227
- Tribal Legal Research and its Challenges in the Age of AI 249
- Digital Silent Rooms and Libraries in France During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Enacting Intimate Study Environments 269
- Exploring IOT Awareness among Library Professionals: Insights from a Developing Country’s Perspective 291
- Information Literacy in Academic Library Instruction 311
- Introducing Indiana University Bloomington Libraries Publishing: A Case Study 337
- Teaching Information Literacy Skills in Higher Learning Institutions in Zimbabwe 359
- Gender Parity Towards Access and Use of ICT in Academic Libraries in Nigeria 385
- Literacy Meaning Construction for Malang City: Community Libraries Activists 407
- The Nexus of Food Consumerism: Information Science and Technology Perspectives in Ghana 433
- Marketing Strategies for Library Services: A Comparative Study Between University and Public Libraries 453
- Analyzing the Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Libraries 473
- Transforming Government Information: The Digital Evolution of the United States Government Publishing Office 493
- Information Technology Acceptance in Health Information Management Practice in Nigeria: Benefits and Challenges 515
- Beyond Information Access: Libraries as Centers of Metaliteracy in the 21st Century 535
- The Current State of Artificial Intelligence Use and its Ethical Implications in Higher Education in Zimbabwe 561
- Expanding Boundaries: The Role of VR in the Modern Library 589
- Open Access and Research Visibility: The Prospects and Challenges of an Open Access Policy in Uganda 611
- Revolutionary Research: The Integration of AI and Blockchain in Peer Review Protocols 633
- About the Contributors 665
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Contents VII
- Navigating Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Integration in Library and Information Science: Insights from Four National Libraries 1
- Integrating AI Tools into Stem Research 25
- Ocean Data Management and EU Database Sui Generis Right 53
- Leveraging Browser-based VR for GLAM Institutions: Broadening Access to African and Diaspora Cultural Heritage 77
- Preservation and Digital Repositories: Connections, Possibilities, and Needs 111
- Research Data Management: A Study with Special Reference to Smart Libraries 135
- Telepresence Robots in the GLAM sector: Bridging Divides for an Inclusive and Equitable Smart Society 157
- NLP Driven Citation Analysis of Legal Scholarship: Challenges and Opportunities 177
- ChatGPT and the Future of Library Reference Services 203
- Next-Gen Librarianship: Exploring the Potential of Metaverse in Information Spaces 227
- Tribal Legal Research and its Challenges in the Age of AI 249
- Digital Silent Rooms and Libraries in France During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Enacting Intimate Study Environments 269
- Exploring IOT Awareness among Library Professionals: Insights from a Developing Country’s Perspective 291
- Information Literacy in Academic Library Instruction 311
- Introducing Indiana University Bloomington Libraries Publishing: A Case Study 337
- Teaching Information Literacy Skills in Higher Learning Institutions in Zimbabwe 359
- Gender Parity Towards Access and Use of ICT in Academic Libraries in Nigeria 385
- Literacy Meaning Construction for Malang City: Community Libraries Activists 407
- The Nexus of Food Consumerism: Information Science and Technology Perspectives in Ghana 433
- Marketing Strategies for Library Services: A Comparative Study Between University and Public Libraries 453
- Analyzing the Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Adoption in Libraries 473
- Transforming Government Information: The Digital Evolution of the United States Government Publishing Office 493
- Information Technology Acceptance in Health Information Management Practice in Nigeria: Benefits and Challenges 515
- Beyond Information Access: Libraries as Centers of Metaliteracy in the 21st Century 535
- The Current State of Artificial Intelligence Use and its Ethical Implications in Higher Education in Zimbabwe 561
- Expanding Boundaries: The Role of VR in the Modern Library 589
- Open Access and Research Visibility: The Prospects and Challenges of an Open Access Policy in Uganda 611
- Revolutionary Research: The Integration of AI and Blockchain in Peer Review Protocols 633
- About the Contributors 665
