If you have been to the library recently, you may have noticed little blue and white signs inviting you to follow the library on Twitter.

What, exactly, is twitter? It's a social networking tool that allows you to send messages--a mini-blog, in a way--to a group of people who decide to follow your twitter account. The messages, called tweets, are limited to 140 characters, so they are guaranteed to be short. Some people have compared tweets to status updates in Facebook.

I've been aware of twitter for a while now, but it seems like the service has gotten a lot of press recently. A couple of weeks ago, Milwaukee Bucks Forward Charlie Villanueva was reprimanded by his coach for tweeting during halftime of his basketball game against the Celtics. The coach made it clear that he did not want it happening again. Shaquille O'Neal is another famous tweeter. The Phoenix Suns coach doesn't care if Shaq tweets during half time as long as he produces while he is on the court. Cyclist Lance Armstrong used Twitter to share updates on his collarbone injury. All of theses sports headlines have led ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning hosts to discuss it, too.

All the hype made me wonder if I should get a Twitter account. I don't want to be behind the times, but, at the same time, I don't know that I need to provide the masses with mundane updates about my life. I'm already on Facebook, and I can't always keep up with my status updates. In light of my deliberations, I was interested to read the article, "Nine Ways to Use Twitter" by John C. Dvorak. He makes a case for the usefulness of this technology. Some of his uses, such as "Twitter Witness," or "Twitness," are social. He explains, "it turns something solitary like watching TV into an interactive, shared experience." However, other uses are more practical, such as communicating with colleagues who may be off-site, polling people for information, and marketing. Nashua Public Library uses twitter as an avenue to announce events and promote our services. People who have twitter accounts can follow the library and get a "heads up" on what is happening. The Young Adult department also has an account with messages specifically for teens.

Although I don't plan to subscribe to Twitter at this time, I have a better understanding of how it can be useful. If I needed an easy way to get announcements from an organization or person or needed to broadcast quick updates (info about an ailing or distant relative or someone who is having a baby soon are examples that come to mind) to a tech-savvy group of people I would take advantage of the service.

Sources:

Associated Press. "Shaq joining in on halftime Twitter craze." ESPN. March 22, 2009.

Associated Press. "Skiles to Villanueva: No Halftime Tweets." ESPN. March 18, 2009.

Dvorak, John C. "Nine Ways to Use Twitter." PCMag.com. March 23, 2009.

Smith, Jason. "It's a Twitter World." ESPN. March 25, 2009.