Since I started this blog during the original 23 Things project hosted by SLA I was rather excited when I came across 23 Mobile Things project in early April. The first module is based around Twitter, which has mobile in its DNA, and is it a perfect place to start.
I have been using Twitter since mid-2007 so I am familiar with the service though my use case for the tool has changed over the past 6 years. Originally, I used the tool mainly for conversation while now I use it for curation too. There are many great librarians/information professionals on Twitter doing excellant work in the library space.
I have tried using several mobile clients though my favorite is Tweetbot from Tapbots (who also offers companion application on the desktop). I don’t often go to the Twitter webpage unless handling some sort of utility function.
I would argue that tweets are becoming a fabric of our cultural dialog and should be preserved for posterity so I agree with Library of Congress keeping an archive. Tweets capture information on both the mudane and the not so mundane, which is valuable to researchers both today and in the future.
I don’t think Twitter can only be used for promoting large events or conferences. Instead, groups/organizations need to use Twitter everyday to interact with their community. Simply setting up a username and launching is not enough. Twitter is simply a tool help you reach your community the tool unto-itself is not important. Its all about the community and the conversation.