Twitter and Its Value To Librarians - The Rise Of The Microblogging Service Phil Bradley LIS 2009

Twitter is a microblogging resource with a character limit of 140 characters per message, or 'tweet' as they are generally referred to. In answer to the question 'What are you doing?' users are free to type in anything that they choose; silly, serious, inane, important etc

Twitter is a microblogging resource with a character limit of 140 characters per message, or 'tweet' as they are generally referred to.

In answer to the question 'What are you doing?' users are free to type in anything that they choose; silly, serious, inane, important etc

People will 'follow' other people, and will be 'followed' in turn. This means that you can see their 'tweets' and they can see yours. It's also possible to import links to blog posts, images, sound files into your 'twitter stream' or to export tweets to your website/weblog

People will 'follow' other people, and will be 'followed' in turn. This means that you can see their 'tweets' and they can see yours.

It's also possible to import links to blog posts, images, sound files into your 'twitter stream' or to export tweets to your website/weblog

Users can 'Re-Tweet' posts, which is to say copy and paste a tweet from someone they follow to their followers to propagate a message The use of self/group defined #hashtags makes it much easier to search for, and follow tweets about a specific subject or conference

Users can 'Re-Tweet' posts, which is to say copy and paste a tweet from someone they follow to their followers to propagate a message

The use of self/group defined #hashtags makes it much easier to search for, and follow tweets about a specific subject or conference

How can librarians use Twitter? Allows you to keep in contact with colleagues, to see what they're doing, what their interests are, read their opinions/thoughts/ideas

Allows you to keep in contact with colleagues, to see what they're doing, what their interests are, read their opinions/thoughts/ideas

Keep informed about developments from publishers; both in terms of what they're publishing, but also events they're running

Keep informed about developments from publishers; both in terms of what they're publishing, but also events they're running

You can promote what your library service is doing. Attract new users, offer gifts or incentives, increase awareness and have fun!

You can promote what your library service is doing. Attract new users, offer gifts or incentives, increase awareness and have fun!

Provide instant answers and point people in the right direction

Provide instant answers and point people in the right direction

Follow links to events, keep briefed on current affairs

Follow links to events, keep briefed on current affairs

Use Twitter as an RSS reader to keep up to date with blog entries

Use Twitter as an RSS reader to keep up to date with blog entries

Share photographs quickly and easily, especially if using a smartphone

Share photographs quickly and easily, especially if using a smartphone

Ask questions using polls, Re-Tweet for maximum results

Ask questions using polls, Re-Tweet for maximum results

Keep involved with conferences even if you can’t attend them with 3 rd party sites

Keep involved with conferences even if you can’t attend them with 3 rd party sites

Add short (3 minute) audio posts using Audioboo and add in a photograph as well!

Add short (3 minute) audio posts using Audioboo and add in a photograph as well!

Broaden your knowledge of a subject by following the right people/organizations

Broaden your knowledge of a subject by following the right people/organizations

Ask questions! Answer questions!

Ask questions! Answer questions!

Find new people to follow using Twitter search or 3 rd party sites like WeFollow

Find new people to follow using Twitter search or 3 rd party sites like WeFollow

Communicate more effectively Discuss events as they happen Send people Direct Messages

Communicate more effectively

Discuss events as they happen

Send people Direct Messages

Follow authors

Follow dead people

And more... Networking, both professional, friend to friend News: new books, closing early, new staff Marketing tool Broadcasting content Updating a website via Twitter

Networking, both professional, friend to friend

News: new books, closing early, new staff

Marketing tool

Broadcasting content

Updating a website via Twitter

Advantages Free Fast Simple Effective Brevity ‘ Always on’ Instant information

Free

Fast

Simple

Effective

Brevity

‘ Always on’

Instant information

Disadvantages Media hype ‘ Fail Whale’ Brevity (what can you say in 140 characters?) Small number of users Spam 3 rd party applications Viruses

Media hype

‘ Fail Whale’

Brevity (what can you say in 140 characters?)

Small number of users

Spam

3 rd party applications

Viruses

6 things when getting started...

Directories to find people http://wefollow.com http://mrtweet.net http://www.twibes.com/ http://justtweetit.com/ http://www.twellow.com/

http://wefollow.com

http://mrtweet.net

http://www.twibes.com/

http://justtweetit.com/

http://www.twellow.com/

Not forgetting... http://www.twitter.com/philbradley Thank you!

http://www.twitter.com/philbradley

Thank you!

Thanks to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansdorsch/1807996676/ for the Twitter/iPhone image

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansdorsch/1807996676/ for the Twitter/iPhone image