LISNews: Librarian News

Some Notes on Tweeting for Public Libraries
I've been thinking a lot about public libraries/organizations and social media lately, especially on the differences between Twitter and Facebook. I wanted to jot down some notes about what I think works and what doesn't, & figured I'd share them publicly so that folks can do anything from heartily disagreeing with them in the comments to potentially benefiting from them. I've had a personal Twitter account and followed libraries with it since fall of 2007, but have only recently started tweeting for a library system (about a month now). I still have a lot to learn, but I've also learned a lot. These notes take the form of advice, and it's advice I stand behind, but I'm not claiming to be an expert (highly recommended, by the way: this Geek Girls Guide podcast episode on The Cult of Social Media, which covers, among other things, how often "social media expert"/guru/maven is invoked and why it is often a misapplied phrase).

With no further ado, some thoughts (gentle and otherwise) on tweeting for public libraries...

Outdoor libraries start lending books at closed branches
A class of fourth-graders at Marcus Garvey Academy in Detroit has collaborated to create six outdoor libraries for use by the general public in light of recent branch closings by the Detroit Public Library.

Five of the outdoor libraries opened Wednesday and the sixth will open in June. And best of all, borrowers don't need a library card and there are no late fees.

The students, currently on spring break, received assistance from a class of University of Michigan art and design students.

On Wednesday, April 18, Harvard Library Strategic Conversations will sponsor an Oxford-style debate on the role of libraries. The program will be held from 3 to 4:30pm in Piper Auditorium, at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

MOTION: Libraries are Obsolete

Chairman: Professor Jonathan Zittrain, Professor at the Harvard Law School, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Professor Zittrain will become Harvard Law School’s Vice-Dean of Library and Information Resources in July 2012.

Speaking in favor of the proposition: Dr. James Tracy (Headmaster, Cushing Academy), and R. David Lankes (Associate Professor at the University of Syracuse iSchool and Director of the Information Institute of Syracuse).

Speaking in opposition: Susan Hildreth (Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services), and Professor John G. Palfrey (Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources, and the Henry N. Ess III Professor of Law at Harvard Law School).

More information here. (It is my understanding that they are planning to record the entire event and will probably post a shorter, edited video at this link.)

Blog post arguing that ebook check out times should be longer than 7-14 days.

Full post here: Give people time to read