Twitter

I'd been aware that Twitter had become an extremely popular tool for sharing news and information, but I wasn't convinced that it was a service that I would find greatly beneficial to me. So Cam23 has given me an opportunity to try it out consider it's usefulness, in particular to the library profession.

Following the step-by-step instructions from the Cam23 team, I found it very easy to create the account, and before I knew it I was ready to make my first tweet! It was nice to be able to search for Cambridge libraries and librarians, along with other Cam23 participants, and I was soon following a whole host of library-related tweeters (and amazingly acquired several followers myself in the process)! It's taken me a little while to get used to the twitter settings and layout. I'd assumed my profile would be the place to be and where it all happens (as on Facebook), but everything seems to be on the home page. I think it would be useful if any tweets directed specifically to you were displayed on your profile page, as I have to keep remebering to click the @yourusername to the right of the home page to make sure I don't miss anything. And I think that's the main problem I have with Twitter: missing things. I feel that Twitter is about being instant, and if I haven't been on for a few days, and I see that 2 days ago there was an interesting discussion on which I may like to comment, I feel that the time has passed and I missed the boat. I suspect that is not necessarily so, but I do find it a bit hard to keep up with! I also find that I don't have a great deal to say (apologies to my followers). I don't really want to get in to the habit of writing regular personal updates on what I had for dinner or what I'm watching on TV. I will try to start tweeting about interesting professional news that I find, but again I feel a bit paranoid that I might be behind the rest of the world, and that everyone has already seen it/heard it. I also find some tweets extremely difficult to read, especially on the home page when they are out of context, and it's a reply to another tweet-but I probably just need a bit more practice!

I do feel that if I was using Twitter on behalf of the library, I'd find it much more useful. A tweet about new resources, changes to opening times, new displays and exhibitions, reminders of end of term and vacation borrowing dates, links to new accessions lists etc could easily be communicated through the Twitter format. And in particular the opportunity to interact with library users is perhaps greater on Twitter than on a library webpage. This seems to be one of the great benefits of Twitter, and the only way to realise it's full potential and make it worthwhile would be for libraries to encourage users to ask questions or write comments about library services, and thus utilise it's capacity for constructive communication, as well as a means of broadcasting information.

I will definitely keep my Twitter account and will do my best to become a more active and interesting tweeter! Followers, watch this space...