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87 - Twitter

from Section 3 - Activities and tools

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2018

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Summary

Twitter

TWITTER IS A microblogging service that was launched in 2006. In January 2014 it was reported that 80% of world leaders are using Twitter (Scherr, 2014) and according to Taylor & Francis (2014) it is the second most popular social media tool used by LKS.

Twitter is a communication channel; it allows you to write short 140- character-long messages for the people who are following you to read. Being able to use Twitter will enable staff to develop skills and knowledge in areas of the PKSB that cover communication, networking and media and PR skills (CILIP, 2014. Sections 12.5, 12.6 and 12.7).

Many people believe that Twitter is all about what people had for lunch, pictures of cats or finding out ‘who did what to whom’ at a celebrity shindig. However, there is a large and enthusiastic community of LKS professionals out there who are sharing their knowledge, best practice, interesting articles and useful tools with each other. They are hosting library chats and journal groups, or they are helping each other to become Chartered. A number of useful hashtags are listed below. There is a lot of great (but informal) CPD out there that staff can get involved in. Encouraging your staff to use Twitter means they will be able to access all sorts of information useful for their professional development, including sector knowledge and informal learning. If you can't afford to send staff to key conferences, they can follow what is happening from the office for free!

Networking

Twitter is a great tool for networking. There are all sorts of librarians on Twitter and if you and your staff follow them, you can join in any conversation that interests you. You can ask questions or organize meetings with people who might be involved in similar projects. A librarian on Twitter starts to develop a wider knowledge of their profession as they start to connect with a broader range of people. Staff will get to know LKS professionals from other sectors, which is fantastic for cross-pollination of ideas. Twitter is gaining in popularity and lots of people are using it. Ensuring that your staff know how their LKS users are accessing information is key.

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Publisher: Facet
Print publication year: 2016

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