Resource Review #3

http://www.vla.org/wordpress/?p=935

This resource is a list entitled "100 Ways To Use Twitter In Your Library." I found it on the Virginia Library Association Blog, but apparently it originally came from acceleratedbachelordegree.org. The list starts out with a basic introduction to Twitter and then gives tips in the categories of Reference, Discussion, Announcements & Updates, and Colleagues & Friends.

Some of the tips strike me as a little obvious, like number 12, "Don’t let the account go silent for extended periods: This will show that you have mutual interest in providing a connection for many of your followers." Others come across as a bit patronizing, like number 15, "Be sure to use the current twitter terminology: Remember the verb form is 'to tweet,' not 'to twitter.' If you use the wrong terms, you might as well put a sign on your website that says ROOKIE!" But on the whole, there are certainly enough very good suggestions on this list to make it a useful resource. Some interesting ideas I haven't really seen suggested elsewhere include "Get feedback on potential policy changes: Thinking about extending library hours? Get some opinions from some of your patrons;" "Use Twitter to point out highlights on library websites;" and "Search Twitter daily for mention of the library." Of course, it's important to remember that this list only offers suggestions, not any kind of requirements for Twitter use, and libraries should feel free to pick and choose among them. If anyone tried to do everything on this list in one Twitter feed, it would certainly overwhelm both the followers and the person responsible for tweeting.

I do think the list-makers are cheating a bit by filling up about two-thirds of this list with the names of interesting library-related Twitter feeds, Twitter tools, and vendors using Twitter. These aren't really "ways to use Twitter" as such, although they can still be helpful information for libraries using to Twitter to know. The list includes many interesting Twitter tools I'm not sure I'd heard of before; I think Tweet Later, for instance, could be an excellent timesaver for libraries tweeting event reminders. And before seeing this list, I hadn't really even thought about the possibility that library vendors are using Twitter, but it seems that at least about twenty-five of them are. I think this could potentially be a great new way for library staff and vendors to keep interacting, hopefully improving the customer service experience for everyone involved.