Event: Metadata and Web 2.0 seminar Organised by: Cataloguing & Indexing Group in Scotland Held on Friday 2nd March at the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh Presented by: Lynn Corrigan, Edinburgh Napier University

1. Twitter: Professional Benefits
for Cataloguers
@lynncorrigan
#MAWS2012

2. What is Twitter?
Twitter is a tool that allows users to send instant
messages, also known as micro-blogs.
“Tweets” are a maximum of 140 characters and
can include links

3. How do I use Twitter?
twitter.com 3rd party alternatives
• Web Based readers e.g.
Brizzly.com
• Desktop software e.g.
Tweetdeck
• Browser extensions e.g.
echofon (firefox), Silver Bird
(chrome)
• Mobile Apps

4. Twitter Conventions
• @someone = username
Include an individual’s username and your
tweet is highlighted in their timeline.
• #something = hashtag
Use this for collating tweets on a certain
subject over time e.g. #marcmustdie

5. Why Should Cataloguers Tweet?
• Information
– Twitter is now the fastest way of transmitting
information
– Many other web services automatically send
tweets when e.g. Blogposts are updated

6. Why Should Cataloguers Tweet?
• Communication
– Free service, minimal sign-up requirements.
– Many options mean users can communicate as
easily on the bus as at their desk
– Keeping In Touch

7. Yes, But Why Twitter?
• Simplicity
• Drop-in, drop-out
• Informality
• Diversity

8. OK, But How Do I Start
• Find some people to follow
• Use hashtags to follow an event
• Interact!
• Be Yourself but Be Sensible

9. Useful Starting Points
• High Visibility Cataloguing
http://highvisibilitycataloguing.wordpress.com/
• UKLiBChat
http://uklibchat.wordpress.com/

10. #hvcats #uklibchat #CatIndexBlog

11. Conferences
• Sharing information about location /transport
• Meeting up with other attendees
• Using backchannel to make contacts
• Note-taking
• Emergencies!
• Virtual attendance

12. Library Accounts
• Use it to highlight the work of your
department
• If you can create a New Acquisitions RSS feed,
you can convert and schedule tweets

13. Fun!

14. Visibility
Stay on top of the
latest technologies.
Publicise what you do
to non-cataloguing
colleagues
Maintain a
professional profile