In spring semester 2009, two of the authors taught LIB 5020--Information Sources & Services to graduate library science students at Appalachian State University. The course covers information seeking patterns and provides an overview of reference services. The course is also designed to examine and evaluate library reference materials and other information sources (print, audiovisual and electronic) used in support of informational and recreational needs of youth and adults. This paper discusses one class assignment, in which the students were paired together to role play the reference interaction between a librarian and student in a 3D virtual learning community. This paper reports the assignment's evolution, learning objectives, discusses the students' reactions to working as a virtual librarian, and includes ways to improve the assignment in the future. (Contains 1 note.)