Chico >> Library patrons looking to escape reality now have more than just books to turn to for an adventure.

The Chico library now offers the opportunity to try the Oculus virtual reality headset, which the Butte County Library acquired through a virtual reality grant.

On Tuesday, about six people got acquainted with the headset during the second of three planned sessions this month to provide the community with a virtual reality experience.

During the program, participants played games such as Oculus First Contact and Blocks by Google. The games are meant to serve as an introduction on how to use the equipment and let people become acquainted to interacting with the system.

Library assistant Alex Chen said he wants people to keep an open mind about future possibilities on how the headset can be used.

Virtual reality can be an extremely interactive and immersive learning environment. Imagine traveling through your anatomy or stepping onto the International Space Station to learn how things operate. Ways to treat patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety orders are also being explored.

Most of the people at the library Tuesday said they couldnt wait for the Google Earth Virtual Reality game to be set up. The idea of being able to travel places anywhere in the world, places they otherwise would not have been able to go to, thrilled them.

The library will be hosting another virtual reality session 12:30-2 p.m. Aug. 29, for people 13 years or older. From there, the hope is to bring the headset out once a week and incorporate it in the new makerspace that should be completed later this year.

For more information visit buttecounty.net/bclibrary.

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Virtual reality experience offered at Chico library - Chico Enterprise-Record