Why twitter? What can Twitter do for my library & my professional development?
14
Why Twitter? What can Twitter do for my library & my professional development? Bill Drew, M.S., B.S., A.S. Assistant Professor. Librarian. Tompkins Cortland Community College Dryden, N.Y. USA Twitter: BillDrew4 Email: [email protected] Short URL for these slides: http://goo.gl/9l23
description
The use of Twitter is growing greatly among individuals and institutions, and libraries and librarians are helping lead the way. Find out how to use Twitter as a professional tool to keep in touch with what is going on, to filter and exchange information quickly, and how to provide an opt in information service to your patrons. Learn how to be a twit!
Transcript of Why twitter? What can Twitter do for my library & my professional development?
Why Twitter?What can Twitter do for my library &
my professional development?
Bill Drew, M.S., B.S., A.S.Assistant Professor. Librarian. Tompkins Cortland Community CollegeDryden, N.Y. USATwitter: BillDrew4Email: [email protected]
Short URL for these slides: http://goo.gl/9l23
Our Goals:
The use of Twitter is growing greatly among individuals and institutions, and libraries and librarians are helping lead the way. Find out how to use Twitter as a professional tool to keep in touch with what is going on, to filter and exchange information quickly, and how to provide an opt in information service to your patrons. Learn how to be a twit!
What is Twitter?
From Wikipedia:"Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers. Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications. While the service costs nothing to use, accessing it through SMS may incur phone service provider fees."
What can Libraries do with Twitter?Twitter can be used to do many things. Here are a few ideas:1. Provide Reference Services
• Local and National News• Identify local experts in subjects of interest to your patrons• Patrons ask questions
2. Library News• New Books• New Services• Library Hours• Special Events• Topics of Interest on your website• Create alerts for specific groups (ie; teens, parents, senior citizens)
3. Two way communications• Ask patrons for input• Post answers to common questions
4. Use your imagination
What can staff, trustees, etc. do with Twitter?
Library staff and trustees can benefit from using their own Twitter account. Here are a few uses:• Follow other librarians for ideas and professional development• Follow state and national associations:
• NYLA: http://twitter.com/NYLA_1890• Public Library Association: http://twitter.com/ALA_PLA• YALSA: http://twitter.com/YALSA• American Libraries Magazine: http://twitter.com/amlibraries• More ALA feeds• ACRL: http://twitter.com/ala_acrl• LITA:http://twitter.com/ala_lita
What can staff, trustees, etc. do with Twitter?(more things)
• Follow news about libraries from such sources as Library Journal (http://twitter.com/Libraryjournal)
• Attend conferences via Twitter• Follow local and state news• Follow Congressmen/Senators• Follow State legislators• Communicate internally with staff, trustees, etc.• Networking• Trend Spotting• ???
Why Librarians Use Twitter:Quotes from real librarians. Others are scattered through out this presentation.
One Vendor's Use of Twitter
Carl Grant of Ex Libris sent me these thoughts on using Twitter.
Followers and Following
Who I Follow: over 400
• Journals (LJ,AL, etc.)• OCLC• LibraryofCongress• InformationKnot• Pundits/Techies (eg. Cory
Doctorow)• Vendors• Personal Friends• Librarians
Who Follows Me: over 900
• Librarians• Personal Friends• Vendors• Journals• ALA & NYLA• Authors• Publishers• ?
Who to Follow• Content is King!
o Posts links to useful resources.o Retweets and has original content.o Some personal stuff is good. o Doesn't over tweet. o Don't follow everyone that follows
you!! • Some of My Favorites
o Michael Sauers (msauers)o Ellyssa Kroski (ellyssa)o TweetReport (TweetReport)o David Lankes (rdlankes)o American Libraries (amlibraries)o Tim O'Reilly (timoreilly)
Some Web based Twitter Tools
• Twitterfeed - http://www.twitterfeed.com• Twitter Grader - http://twitter.grader.com/billdrew4• We Follow - http://wefollow.com/• HootSuite - http://hootsuite.com/dashboard• Mr. Tweet - http://www.mrtweet.net/• Twellow Directory - http://www.twellow.com
/category_users/cat_id/346• Just Tweet It - Librarians-
http://justtweetit.com/education/librarians/• Twazzup: http://www.twazzup.com/
Contact me if you have questions!
Bill Drew, M.S., B.S., A.S.Assistant ProfessorLibrarian, Systems and Tech Services/Electronic Resources/SerialsTompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) LibraryDryden, N.Y. 13053-0139E-mail: [email protected]: 607-844-8222 ext.4406Twitter: http://twitter.com/BillDrew4Online Identity: http://claimID.com/billdrew http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill_Drew/
