Twitter as a real time education tool? That's one of the reasons that I use it. In fact, Twitter is where I came across this article on Mashable highlighting the value of Twitter as a tool for keeping yourself educated: Twitter Professors: 18 People to Follow for a Real Time Education by Lon S. Cohen.
Twitter is one of the tools that I use to keep informed, to share, to keep in tune with what friends and colleagues are thinking, doing, and learning. I also use it to follow a wide spectrum of associations, businesses, government agencies, publications, non-profits, and individuals who have something to say that I believe will be of interest to me. You can also be entertained or be entertaining on Twitter. Occasionally, a tweet just provides that moment of levity that is so important in life. For instance, upon making an impulsive purchase earlier this year, I figured a little lighthearted tweet was in order. I summed up the impact of my purchase in this tweet:
Me to husband: Good News-you don't have to buy me chocolate for Valentine's Day. Bad News- there's a 5 ft tall etagere in the car. 2:29 PM Feb 8th from web
Aside from being a source for occasional amusement, Twitter gives you the opportunity to expand your network and your channels of learning by following a total customized list of individuals and entities that make sense to you. You can make it all personal and just follow friends if you prefer. Or, you can keep it all business and follow an amalgam of professional community leaders, publications, and organizations that are talking about matters important to you from a career perspective.
I prefer a mix of both. I think it keeps things more lively and makes it easier to draw across the different areas of life that interest you (personal, professional, the greater world, or your dearest avocations) and be informed about them all in one fell swoop.
Are you thinking about starting on Twitter but just don’t know where to start? Well, it’s very easy to set up a Twitter account and it’s free.
Need some ground rules? Check out The Twitter Guidebook over on Mashable.
And here's my Twitter pet peeve: no image or bio provided on your profile. If people are going to follow you, it only makes sense that they will want to know a little about you. Take a few minutes to add these two things to your profile right from the start.
Trying to figure out who to follow? One easy way to start is to follow a few people you know and take a look at who they follow. You can follow me on Twitter at: libraryfocus.
One big difference between a social media site like Facebook or LinkedIn, and Twitter is that you don't have to feel like you have as much of a personal or professional connection to follow someone. In fact, you don't have to have any connection at all, just an interest in what they have to say. And because they are saying it in 140 characters or less, it's easier to absorb it all without suffering from information overload (or at least you'll be dealing with a more manageable amount of information overload).
And what should you say? Well, think 140 characters (that's not so hard) and look at it as a way to share some of the interesting things you learn every day as an information professional and an individual with your own interests and special areas of knowledge. You do have something to say.
For those of you already on Twitter: Who do you like to follow?
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