Twitter: Tweets from the Library

Posted by Amy C on Tuesday, 4th November 2008 at 7:48 pm

Image: twitter by Flickr user larrabetzutikmundura (Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License)

Twitter is a microblogging service for users to write very short posts (only 140 characters in length). It began in March 2006 and has grown rapidly.

Here is a review of Twitter, called “Twitter in Plain English,” from the Common Craft Show:

embedded by Embedded Video

YouTube Direkt

And here are a couple of websites that help explain technical aspects of using Twitter for librarians:

Libraries are responding to this new, shortened tool of Web 2.0. Ellyssa Kroski wrote an article in the School Library Journal in which she described library uses of Twitter:

  • sending out library updates (anything from new book and audiobook arrivals to calendar events to stats to fun facts)
  • bog post promotion (via RSS feeds)
  • flickr post promotion (also via RSS feeds)
  • incorporation in virtual reference (such as posting incoming reference questions)

Stephen Francoeur also talks about the possibility of using Twitter for reference services. Including, creating webpages that implement reference question tweets with the answers – similar to a FAQ page. He worries about privacy issues, though. One answer to this problem is to make a prominent note explaining the transparency of the reference service and its similarities to discussion board question-and-answer services. And, of course, it is always possible to strip the tweets of identifying information.

And Sarah Washburn from the MaintainIT Project talks about the possibility of using Twitter as a time-management software (such as informing computer users that the library will be closing soon).

These are some libraries and library-oriented organizations that are already on Twitter:

What do you think of these uses for Twitter?
Do you see different ways of using Twitter in a school media center?
…a public library?
…an academic library?
What other thoughts or ideas do you have?

9 Comments

Pamela L

November 5, 2008 at 1:53 am

This is awesome! I’m already following several libraries on my Twitter feed, but the links you provided are new to me. I love the idea of Twittering, but as a hopefully future School librarian, I don’t know if Twittering will be promoted for school children. But, if cell phones are more widely allowed in schools that may change. In that case, I’d definitely Twitter feed my school library.

Alyson M

November 5, 2008 at 10:28 am

I am one of those weird people that hate my cell phone and rarely ever text message, so I was instantly resistant to this idea. But it sounds interesting, and would be a great way to market your library’s services. However, I do see the advantages of using Twitter for library staff. I thought it was a great idea to use it for virtual reference, and I can also see Twitter being used to remind staff of meeting and deadlines. So, although I don’t think that this service is for everyone that is the great thing about Library 2.0 tools. Patrons are now able to pick and choose the ways that they are able to use and communicate with their local libraries.

Amy C Reply:
November 8th, 2008 at 4:39 pm

I’m the same way about not using my cell phone very often. I don’t have my Twitter feed forward to my phone. Instead, I check people’s tweets online (similar to checking a blog feed). I think that if we educate people about the various options for receiving tweets, that will help patrons decide which versions of technology they want to use.

Lindy B

November 8, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Hi Amy!

I was excited to see your post because I am new to twitter. I thought I’d try it out a few weeks ago and it is somewhat addicting. I have also been doing some research on this particular subject as well, so your post was very timely!

In researching for this subject, I found an informative piece on Twitter for Librarians: the Ultimate Guide by Christina Laun.

On another note — I know this is off the subject, but is there anyone else in class that has a twitter account? It would be kind of fun to follow each other.

-Lindy
lindyjb

Amy C Reply:
November 8th, 2008 at 4:42 pm

Thank you for the great website! She posted a lot of information. :)

I have to admit that I’m still more of a lurker in Twitter. Whenever I’m on the computer, I’m too busy to login and post tweets and I’d rather not use my cell phone for that purpose. :P

Amy C

November 8, 2008 at 4:44 pm

One option for Twitter that I thought would be interesting to think about would be to find a way for teachers to create accounts for their classrooms where they could communicate with the librarian regarding research assignments. Maybe make one “middle school English” account for all English classes that only the teachers have access to that could post relevant research prompts? What do you think?

As I’ve said in earlier posts, I think this type of use would be best for viewing on the web (not really good for phones).

Melanie M

November 9, 2008 at 10:58 pm

I have to admit when I first heard of Twitter, I thought it was ridiculous. The idea of communicating in short little spurts seemed cryptic and lazy to me. Maybe it’s the former English teacher coming out in me, but I thought blogs were great because it encourages the user to communicate freely. I can see where there are practical and useful uses for it after this post, however. I like Amy’s idea, because I know that students always can use more access to their teacher’s ideas, materials, or assignments. If the school media specialists and classroom teachers use this to incorporate and compile ideas and resources it would be beneficial, but I don’t see how it is that different than blogs, wikis and websites. I guess I don’t get it, since I haven’t tried it personally.

Crystal B Reply:
November 10th, 2008 at 12:37 am

I was the same way. I’ve had blogs for five years now and when I first heard about Twitter, I thought, “That’s what my blog is for. This is silly.” But then once I really started to learn about Twitter and all its uses, both for fun and work, I’ve realized that it can be an excellent tool for communication when a blog post would just be too much. I still have not created a Twitter account, mostly because I’m afraid I’d start using my phone for it, and my texts cost 5 cents each, but every once in a while I’ll read others’ twitter feeds. I’m definitely resisting making any sort of commitment to Twitter, but I’m fully aware it will likely happen in the future, as it continues to become more and more popular and more and more common in work places.

PatJohn A

November 11, 2008 at 12:41 pm

I think this a great tool for libraries to show updates up about what is going on in a library. I heard the term “Twitter” but never knew what it was about. Thanks Amy for sharing.

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