This document outlines a study examining whether academic libraries in the United States are reaching their intended audiences via Twitter. The study will identify US academic libraries with Twitter accounts, survey them about their Twitter use and goals, code the followers of responding libraries to categorize them as students/alumni, faculty/staff, affiliated university entities, libraries/librarians, local businesses, unaffiliated, or unknown. Preliminary results from coding 20 libraries show average percentages of followers in each category. Next steps include more coding, statistical analysis, and writing conclusions and recommendations.

1. TWITTER
helpful or hassle?
Abby Bedford, MSI

2. Why do a
study about
Twitter?

3. “
The library world has
been far too gullible,
far too willing to regard “
any technical advance
as a service advance[.]
Lauer, J. D., & McKinzie, S. (2002/2003). Bad moon rising: A candid examination of digital reference and what
it means to the profession. Reference Librarian, 38(79/80), 45-56.

4. Assessment

5. Literature

6. Ownership

7. Question

8. Are academic libraries
in the United States
reaching who they
think they are reaching
via Twitter?

9. Study Design

11. • Get IRB approval

12. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.

13. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts

14. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey

15. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey
• Code followers of the libraries that
answer the survey

16. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey
• Code followers of the libraries that
answer the survey
• Analyze data

17. Methodology

18. Identification

21. @researchinglib

22. 485

23. Survey

24. via email
via Twitter

26. 113

27. Sample

28. • targeting students
specifically, university at
large, or both
• currently active Twitter
account

29. 111

30. •ANOVA (analysis of variance)
• 2 degrees of freedom

31. Cohen, J. (1992). A power primer. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 155-159.

32. 64

33. Data

35. 1 - alumni/major/undergrad
2 - professor
4 - librarian/library/archivist
7 - [blank]

36. site:
http://matthew.reidsrow.com/
projects/tweeps/
code:
https://github.com/mreidsma/
tweepgrabber

37. 1. Students/Alumni
2. Faculty/Staff
3. University Entity
4. Library/Librarian/Library Assn./Library
Vendor
5. Local Business
6. Unaffiliated
7. Unknown

38. 1. Students/Alumni
2. Faculty/Staff
3. University Entity Affiliated
4. Library/Librarian/Library Assn./Library
Vendor
5. Local Business
6. Unaffiliated
7. Unknown

39. 1. Students/Alumni
2. Faculty/Staff
3. University Entity Affiliated
4. Library/Librarian/Library Assn./Library
Vendor
5. Local Business
6. Unaffiliated Unaffiliated
7. Unknown

40. 1. Students/Alumni
2. Faculty/Staff
3. University Entity Affiliated
4. Library/Librarian/Library Assn./Library
Vendor
5. Local Business
6. Unaffiliated Unaffiliated
7. Unknown Unknown

41. Preliminary
Results

42. average % based on initial coding of 20 libraries

43. average % based on initial coding of 20 libraries

44. What’s next?

45. More coding!

46. Statistical
Analysis

47. Descriptive
Analysis

48. Demographics

50. Conclusions &
Recommendations

51. Write it up.

52. Breathe

54. QUESTIONS?

55. QUESTIONS?
Abby Bedford
bedforda@gvsu.edu
@abby_elizabeth