Using twitter @ Libraries

Cheryl BurnetteWebmasterHomewood Public Librarycburnette@bham.lib.al.us205.332.6631www.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!

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

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

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

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)

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)

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.