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Introduction
This special issue of Reference Services Review invites research contributions exploring the intersections of Virtual Reality (VR) and Information Services. VR and 3D Modelling has become a foundational element of exhibitions, providing an immersive way for visitors to become orientated to place and space of an artifact; according to their recent (2025) survey, Guo et al. report that 80 of the top 100 University Libraries in the United States are running some sort of VR program within their libraries.
VR is a fast-moving technology, making it vital that we stay on top of our conversation about it. In 2021, Undergraduate and College Libraries published an insightful collection of articles on the topic, however, 5 years later we have not seen many retrospectives or reflections on the success of the programs introduced in that issue. This special issue of Reference Services Review returns the spotlight to this technology that is having such an impact on our work as information professionals.
In this call for papers, the term VR can be considered synonymous with AR and XR. The guest editor is interested in receiving both quantitative and qualitative studies that address one or more of the following themes:
- History of VR and Library Spaces: Information professionals were early adopters of spaces such as “Second Life” and “Minecraft,” creating structures and systems within virtual worlds, offering reference services and access to collections. 20+ years later, are there reflections to be made about those experiences that we can use as we progress in virtual modes of connectivity?
- Development of VR Services and Programs: What can organizations that have had VR services and programs for several years share with the rest of us? Are we developing any standardized trends or best practices in our programs?
- Practical Challenges: Which roles/functional areas oversee VR programs? What kinds of professional development is available and how effective is it in empowering staff to manage VR-related hardware, software, and curriculum? How are programs resourced, including technology, staff, and overhead?
- VR and Collection Development: How do information professionals provide access to virtual resources, and how do they circulate these resources to users? Do licensing requirements present any unique challenges?
- VR and AI: What overlaps are there between VR and AI in information service settings, and how is this impacting our work? Are our VR technologies enhanced by AI? Or is AI impeding our access to the VR resources we and our users want and need?
- User Experience and VR: What is required from users before they can use VR services? How are any competency gaps addressed?
- VR and Accessibility: This includes but is not limited to physical and mental challenges with engaging with VR hardware and software, as well as thoughtful insight about the affordances of VR technologies.
- Pedagogy and Curriculum Integrations: We are specifically looking for engagement with pedagogical theory including but not limited to the scholarship of teaching and learning.
The guest editor is explicitly interested in the above themes but is also open to other ideas at the intersection of information services and VR.
List of Topic Areas
- VR & Assessment
- VR &Teaching and Learning
- VR & Accessibility
- VR & Collection Development
- VR & Programs and Services
- VR & Information Technology (Hardware and Software)
Submission Information
Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here:
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see:
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to “Please select the issue you are submitting to”.
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
Key Dates
Closing date for manuscript submissions: 26 March 2026
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