Using twitter @ Libraries Cheryl Burnette Webmaster Homewood Public Library [email_address] 205.332.6631 www.homewood.lib.al.us

So, “What are you doing?”

a bit of twitter history… Launched July 2006 Written in Ruby on Rails A microblogging service A real-time broadcast medium Must type 140 characters or less Free!

Launched July 2006

Written in Ruby on Rails

A microblogging service

A real-time broadcast medium

Must type 140 characters or less

Free!

How exactly do you use it?

Who is tweeting? Gov. Bob Riley James Spann Barack Obama Al.com Birmingham News Julie Banderas The Weather Channel Mazer Super Store Southern Living Magazine TwitterLit Libraries: Gardendale Library Huntsville Library Foundation BPL HPL & HPL Teens UAH Library NY Public Library Library of Congress ALA YALSA Library Journal

Gov. Bob Riley

James Spann

Barack Obama

Al.com

Birmingham News

Julie Banderas

The Weather Channel

Mazer Super Store

Southern Living Magazine

TwitterLit

Libraries:

Gardendale Library

Huntsville Library Foundation

BPL

HPL & HPL Teens

UAH Library

NY Public Library

Library of Congress

ALA

YALSA

Library Journal

How to find followers TwitterLocal download app; runs on Adobe Air search.twitter.com search real-time tweets Twellow twitter yellow pages-get listed Follow back Look through your followers’ followers

TwitterLocal download app; runs on Adobe Air

search.twitter.com search real-time tweets

Twellow twitter yellow pages-get listed

Follow back

Look through your followers’ followers

How to be followed Have quality tweets Use twitterfeed to feed your blog & flickr account to twitter Tweet library events & programs, computer classes Announce new arrivals & upcoming releases-include links to catalog (I’ll tweet one book at a time.) Use TinyURL.com to shorten your links to a manageable size Interact with tweeps-asking & answering questions-just be available. ( After all, it is called social networking.) Announce inclement weather & holiday closings Provide customer service Report live from events-use cell phone or laptop

Have quality tweets

Use twitterfeed to feed your blog & flickr account to twitter

Tweet library events & programs, computer classes

Announce new arrivals & upcoming releases-include links to catalog (I’ll tweet one book at a time.)

Use TinyURL.com to shorten your links to a manageable size

Interact with tweeps-asking & answering questions-just be available. ( After all, it is called social networking.)

Announce inclement weather & holiday closings

Provide customer service

Report live from events-use cell phone or laptop

Managing twitter & fun stuff! TwitterFox -get nofications & has text box for tweeting TweetDeck -download app; runs on Adobe Air-good organizer TweetStats -fast twitpic -shares photos Tweet Later -productivity tool twitter widgets Twittermap -visual realtime tweets twitter facebook app Phone apps Generic set up in twitter (charge for text msg?) TwitterBerry (blackberry) Tweetie (iPhone) $2.99 Twitterific (iPhone/iMac)

TwitterFox -get nofications & has text box for tweeting

TweetDeck -download app; runs on Adobe Air-good organizer

TweetStats -fast

twitpic -shares photos

Tweet Later -productivity tool

twitter widgets

Twittermap -visual realtime tweets

twitter facebook app

Phone apps

Generic set up in twitter (charge for text msg?)

TwitterBerry (blackberry)

Tweetie (iPhone) $2.99

Twitterific (iPhone/iMac)

tweep lingo RT - Retweet - to repeat something posted by another user usually with “RT” & @username to give credit to original poster DM - direct message which only you will see @ - use this when replying to a specific user (ex. @weknowbooksetc) # - is a hashtag used to create groupings on twitter (ex. #followfriday, #bhamsnow, #alla, #alwx)

RT - Retweet - to repeat something posted by another user usually with “RT” & @username to give credit to original poster

DM - direct message which only you will see

@ - use this when replying to a specific user (ex. @weknowbooksetc)

# - is a hashtag used to create groupings on twitter (ex. #followfriday, #bhamsnow, #alla, #alwx)

Why should libraries incorporate twitter into their social networking portfolio? It's quick , easy , free , creates community , expands the reach of the library , makes the library more accessible , & is great for public relations . Statistics confirm that a library's strong online presence is imperative as we continue to move forward in this increasingly digital world. In 2007, the OCLC (De Rosa, et al.) published an informative report that showed Internet, email, & blog use up, but unfortunately, library website use was down ;^(( Therefore, we must reach patrons where they are & be where the action is . Not only does twitter connect patrons & their libraries, it provides opportunities for libraries & librarians to make peer-to-peer connections.

It's quick , easy , free , creates community , expands the reach of the library , makes the library more accessible , & is great for public relations . Statistics confirm that a library's strong online presence is imperative as we continue to move forward in this increasingly digital world.

In 2007, the OCLC (De Rosa, et al.) published an informative report that showed Internet, email, & blog use up, but unfortunately, library website use was down ;^((

Therefore, we must reach patrons where they are & be where the action is .

Not only does twitter connect patrons & their libraries, it provides opportunities for libraries & librarians to make peer-to-peer connections.