Part of a workshop I lead at Simmons College, this presentation served as a basic introduction to the social media service Twitter for librarians. Includes: a short history of Twitter, Best Practices for private and professional accounts, as well as an introduction to some of the third party services that support it. Session concluded with hands on time with the service, and account creation.

1. Twitter: an introduction
Bill Helman
@thinkpol
Keiyac: http://www.flickr.com/photos/keiya/3255575238/

2. • A really short history
• What is it, really?
• Getting started
• Basic jargon
• Searching and following
• Some third party applications

3. Twitter a really very short history.
• Started in March of 2006
• An easy way to share
updates
• Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone
and Evan Williams
• SXSW07 (a tipping point)
jack dorsey: www.flickr.com/photos/jackdorsey/182613360/

4. Phenomenal growth
“Active users have increased 900 percent
in the last year”
–Biz Stone
• Twitter Raises $35 Million
• …but still no revenue
stream
cambodia4kidsorg: flickr.com/photos/cambodia4kidsorg/2659954245/

5. Ok, but what is it?
“It’s a blog! No, it’s a microblog! No, wait, it’s a cocktail
party! No, it’s something for you to be witty or
interesting on so you gain followers! Wait, no, it’s the
light infantry! But not for conferences! And not for
mundane crap!”
‐Andy W., of Agnostic, Maybe

6. What is this “microblogging”?
“The content of a microblog differs from a
traditional blog in that it is typically smaller in
actual size and aggregate file size. A single entry
could consist of a single sentence or fragment or an
image or a brief, ten second video.”
‐Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microblogging)

7. (The world’s shortest instruction manual)

8. Things to consider…
• Professional or personal?
– Mix them carefully
– The troubles of a FedEx exec
• Does your library need a
social network policy?
@cdharrison: flickr.com/photos/84018923@N00/2509609034/

9. Ok, now let’s get started!
• Choosing a screen
name
• Real people have
bios/profiles
• Private or Public
updates?
noii's: flickr.com/photos/17306001@N00/1337101391

10. Basic Jargon
Or, how not to look like a n00b
• Tweeting v. Twiteering?
• RT and (via)
• What is this @?
• #hashtag
• Fail Whale
Abraham Estrada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/abe_estrada/3930499380/

11. Finding someone to follow
• We Follow
• Libraries on Twitter
• The old fashioned way
• Some people & resources
– @LISNews
– @jessamyn
– @simmonsgslis
– @libraryfuture
Szlea: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shawnzlea/2384656420/

12. Real time search
“Authority changes slowly on the “old” Web.
But real‐time search engines deliver different,
updated results almost every time.”
‐Clive Thompson, Wired Magazine
“[R]eal people through social media can help
you find what you’re looking for when [search]
engines fail.
‐Carla Borsoi, SES San Jose, 2009

13. Keeping track of it all: desktop clients

14. URL’s: really short
• Why are short URL’s a big thing?
• Popular services
– tinyurl
– isgd
• Things to consider
Nutloaf: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nutloaf/1501407755/

15. ¿Questions?

16. Bill Helman
@thinkpol
http://delicious.com/hobnail/twitter
More than 60 Twitter related articles and resources