(Ok, enough with the water analogies.  Let’s face it:  some libraries are not using Twitter to its fullest or are making errors that will prevent them from actually reaping the benefits of the work they may be putting in. )

In order of importance, from least to most important, here are my top 5 ways that public libraries are failing at Twitter:

• Failing to use current terminology. I was caught out on this one myself recently; thankfully, it was in an email and not in an actual tweet where people could see it.  But the verb form is “to tweet,” not “to twitter.”  Using the wrong term is like putting a big pic of your library online with the word “newbie” scribbled across it.

• Failing to post a picture. Not posting a pic/logo/icon/avatar/gravatar/picture/something is not only a newbie error, it is a sure way to ensure that your library doesn’t engender any trust.  Use your library’s logo not just to lend credibility to the account, but to emphasize your comprehensive branding efforts (because your library has those, right?)

• Failing to actually link to the Twitter account when promoting it. Your library’s account on Twitter has a special URL you can use to send people there directly.  The syntax is “http://www.twitter.com/YOUR_USER_NAME_HERE”  Be sure to use it and not just tell people on your web site that you have a Twitter account.   Chances are, nobody is going to go looking for your Twitter account later.  Give them a direct link.

• Failing to follow back. No, your library doesn’t have to follow everyone back.  But if you can identify that someone is from your service area, at the very least follow THEM back.  It’s a courtesy.  Not following anyone back is a clear sign to potential followers of your library that you’re not on Twitter for the right reason (see the next point).

• Failing to engage in conversation. This is the most important thing about Twitter.  Twitter is a two-way application.  It’s not just a matter of shouting into the ethernet void.  Viewing Twitter as only a broadcast service is not only failing to utilize Twitter properly, but is a virtual slap in the face to the people who follow you.  Nobody wants to talk to a wall!  Almost certainly, they want to ask you/your library questions or make commentary.  They will assume that is why you’re on Twitter–not just to make announcements, but to interact with them.  Learn about using the @ symbol in replies and talk to your followers.

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Are you scared?  Cowering in a corner?  (Okay, I suspected you weren’t.)   How about uncomfortable?  A teeny bit?

If you’re a regular user of CSS, you probably think I’m a bit nuts.  If you’re not, you might feel intimidated by the idea of using Cascading Style Sheets instead of those old <font> and <b> tags in your web pages.  Or, you might not even know what Cascading Style Sheets are, except that they’re just one more thing you’re supposed to know about and don’t have the time to learn.

In Part I, I’m actually not going to talk so much about about what CSS is, as much as why you need to make the time to learn it.  “What” and “why” are really difficult to explain separately, so no doubt there will be some intermingling here.  But I’ll give it a shot.

Why should *I* learn CSS, Laura?

• Power. Lots of it.  [Insert evil laugh here.]  With CSS, you have extremely granular control over how your web pages look; much more power than using old HTML.  With CSS, you can change things you never could with just HTML–positioning elements on the page in particular.  With much more finesse to boot.  You also get, at no extra charge, the ability to manage how EVERY page in your site looks from one central location.  It’s like the display control panel for your entire site.  No more changing inline code on every #@$! page of your site when the library’s logo colors change and the whole site has to match the new color scheme.
• Standards-compliance. I covered this in a separate post, but it’s worth bringing back up here:  using those old tags immediately makes your site’s code non-compliant with current coding standards.  Sorry, there are no exceptions.  As soon as you start putting those old tags in, game over.  Your site  now immediately qualifies for 1) Non-professional status and also likely for 2) Visitor frustration, especially if they are coming to your site with a more obscure browser and/or a mobile device.
• Accessibility. Want your site to be clear and understandable to those visitors using adaptive software, such as many of the blind and visually impaired use?  The first thing you have to do is learn CSS.  CSS gets a lot of those styling instructions off the individual pages (remember the “control panel” I mentioned earlier?) and out of the way for them.
• HTML 4.01 is dead. It has been since 1999.  That’s right–CSS has been around for 10 years.  It’s time to move on.  If you’re still using old HTML tags to do your dirty work, you’re basically using zombie code.

Coming up next week in Part II:  What is CSS and a gentle introduction to using it

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The focus of these studies falls mainly in one of two schools of thought. The first school of thought will be labeled the Technofascists who view technology a wonderful tool to use in the education process and therefore promote its spread by way of legislative control. The second school of thought will be labeled the Technophobes who fear the rapid spread of the use of technology in education and therefore try to slow its spread by way of legislative control. Notice that both sides wish to control technology but for different reasons. And both sides view technology as other, alien, and something to be governed or controlled.

But a third view has emerged among the new generation of technology natives that does not view technology as “other. ” This new generation sees technology as an extension of human identity; hence, the label “Cyborg” is applied indicating a kind of hybrid of human and technology – a Cybernetic Organism. Rather than technology being applied to human identity, technology actually becomes part of the human expression itself. Thus the clear boundary between man and machine is being blurred by the technological revolution and to legislate such a revolution becomes irrelevant in the view of Cyborg culture.

The two traditional schools of thought among the technology immigrants react differently to the blurring of cultural boundaries caused by the technological revolution of the postmodern – and posthuman as Cyborgs believe – world in which we live. And as we continue to spin toward an unknown future, the older generations of technology immigrants seem to be frantically racing to define what may be beyond definition; even bigger than the whole itself.

We are living in a conundrum whose solution is not possible with the old formulas. Today we are living in what has been described as a “culture of uncertainty” with each domain of knowledge increasing faster than we can learn it.

Children today – as natives to technology – are growing up in a world where boundaries are blurred. Within the present and politically-correct society, gender distinctions are in question. We understand that Race no longer has a scientific basis. The corporate hierarchy and rank that industrialized the world is being replaced by project oriented, team playing personnel whose “roles are ill-defined and shifting.” Even our physical human identity is blurred by the introduction of virtual worlds enabling participants to engage in multiple realities both physical and imagined. Clearly delineated time boundaries are blurred by asynchronous communication tools. The Internet brings information to us that is no longer boxed in by time and space.

And according to Thomas Friedman, author of New York Times bestselling book, The World is Flat, says we are at the “end of the beginning.” Friedman believes we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg compared to what lies before us. According to Friedman’s research, we are embarking on a shift of a magnitude that boundary-restricted minds are unable to conceive or manage.

Those insisting on going back to the good ole’ days of clearly defined boundaries (we could call this group the fence builders) see the coming changes as other and therefore uncomfortable and difficult to navigate with the customary tools of the modern age they thought they knew. These technophobes perceive technology as outside, apart, and foreign to human existence (though some acknowledge technology’s added convenience). Technophobes don’t mind progress as long as it fits in a box and can be taught in the traditional way. Yet even the technofascists differ little in their final assessment despite their desire to increase technology’s use in education. Technofascists still seek control in order to manage or ‘box in’ the increased use and usefulness of new technologies.

Technofascists embrace technology. Technophobes would slow technology. Yet neither is relevant because both seek to box technology in. However, within the technology sphere, a third view is emerging among the natives of today’s cyberculture. These Cyborgs will not accept our three dimensional, spatial/temporal existence as an end in itself. Only the posthuman, neo-native Cyborg can adequately express the new technology-based hybrid identity and educators must facilitate the Cyborg’s introduction into this boundary-less realm.

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I’ve been around the social media block a few times.  I was using Twitter long before it hit the mainstream.  I’ve experimented with bunches of obscure social applications.  I’ve done a lot of presentations about social media and libraries.  I’ve talked about the cool end of this stuff, and occasionally I’ve even gotten to talk about what’s not so cool.  Today, I’m going to share a few things I’ve learned along the way. (And I bet you already know most or all of these, too.)

• Social media is WORK. Yes, it can be fun and productive and useful.  Some days, all of those flowery adjectives are the frosting, not the cake. Even I get tired of social apps!  You will, too.  It takes time and effort to get to the point where social media pays off.
• Social media makes you BETTER at work.  Anyone who looks at you funny while you’re twittering, updating your Facebook status, editing a YouTube video or attending a meeting in Second Life needs to catch a ride on the Clue Bus.  People who can function effectively in the social media arena are  likely to be inherently more flexible and productive than your average employee.  These things left the geek world long ago and have integrated themselves into the mainstream.
• Consistency counts. Everyone knows of the library or person who started a blog, only to have it fizzle and die within a few months or so.  Once you make the decision to dive in start blogging, tweeting, etc., remember that the return on your investment is far off and you have to earn readers and followers.  When you take a few weeks off, so do your readers….permanently, usually.
• Social media is not for everyone. There is a tendency to evangelize about the wonders of various social media apps.  Somehow, all of us got along without them a decade ago, and some folks are still doing just fine.   However, if you work in a library, all bets are off.  It used to be common practice for librarians to read newspapers, to keep current for their patrons. (Maybe it still is?)  This isn’t different.  In what other profession is it acceptable not to keep up?*
• Not everyone needs every social app. My mother-in-law uses IM and Skype.  But she doesn’t use Facebook or Twitter or anything else.  She uses what works for her.  Same goes for libraries.  Invest time and effort into those things that work for your library.  Your library doesn’t have videos on YouTube?  It’s OK.  Really.
• Social media is ephemeral. This one in particular can drive all of us nuts.  This stuff changes all the time.  Today, it’s Twitter.  Next month, who knows?  (Just don’t forget the Hype Curve. )  This is part of the reason that social media can make for better employees–people who use these things know that they can change/go down/be redesigned from minute to minute and therefore, have to be very adaptable.  Who doesn’t want adaptable employees?  But it still can make us crazy.  We complain, we move on and keep using it.
• Sometimes, it’s too much. The amount of user-generated content coming from the various apps and services can be absolutely overwhelming.   Learn to weed followers, friends, even services, just like you might weed any other collection.

What other “truths” about social media can you think of?  Share in the comments!

*I didn’t make up that last sentence, I read it somewhere recently, but I couldn’t remember where.  If YOU know, please let me know so I can attribute it appropriately!

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Web Master 1.1
(I had enough fun with the first one, I decided to upgrade!)

The Programmer approached the Web Master in his cubicle once again. “Web Master, please help me. I am trying to select graphics for this new page. I want it to look cool.”

The Web Master quickly clicked over to his Photos directory, and brought up a picture of a winter storm, a polar bear, and a refrigerator.

The Programmer twitched in his chair, slightly. “No, Web Master, you do not understand. I want this page to look radical.”

The Web Master nodded, and brought up pictures of Che Guevara and rioting students.

“Forgive me, Web Master, but I have not been clear. I want to draw lots of visitors to this page.”

The Web Master ahhed softly, and turned to the Web Browser. He found a porn site.

Seeing the expression on the Programmer’s face, the Web Master said, “It is you who must forgive me, for I have erred. First, I should have asked: who is your audience?”

And the Programmer was Enlightened.

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They call themselves Web “Master”, but they have not Mastered.

The Programmer went to the Web Master, and said, “Master, I wish to create a Web Site.”

The Web Master nodded. “Let us see what you can do! I will prepare a site, and you will prepare yours. When we are both through, we shall exchange, and see how they compare.”

So, both took up their Editors, and they began to work. Finally, the Programmer turned to the Web Master. “Master, I am finished.”

“I have only the beginning of my own, but let us see what you have done!”

“Master, I have decided to use Flash for an introduction, and PHP for the main pages. I included an SQL database with an interface for the client, and made liberal use of JavaScript to enhance the look and feel of the site. When you mouseover the important links, it makes a sound that evokes a sense of what lies beyond. The graphics are colorful and animated, the links are orderly and logical, the templates are divine.”

The Master hmmed. “An interesting choice of a starting point. Here is what I have done so far.” He turned his screen so the Programmer could see.

The Programmer read three times, disbelief on his face. Finally, “But…but there is no Code! This is only plain Text! Mere data, no more! How can you call this the beginning of a web site?”

The Web Master smiled. “You are like the poor carpenter who shined and sharpened his tools, but never gave thought to the wood. Remember that the World Wide Web is about information! These other things are fine in their place, but they are only tools. You cannot build a house until you know who will be living in it!”

And the Programmer was Enlightened.

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However, it can be more difficult to explain why web sites should also be using coding standards.  For example, how many people realize that HTML is actually deprecated (i.e., dead**)?  HTML was replaced by XHTML and CSS.  The last valid version of HTML was released in 1999–10 years ago!  And, even if your site is using more current technologies, is it actually validated as standards-compliant?  Just using XHTML/CSS is not the same as using valid XHTML/CSS.  It’s the difference between having my dad poke at your engine and bringing the car to a certified mechanic.

If your library’s site is still using HTML or non-validated XHTML/CSS, it’s not just a matter of being a technological left-behind.   Your site actually has some major issues you may not even be aware of.  Here’s just a few:

• Older (non-standard) code can be a real obstacle for visitors using mobile devices.  What’s the point of designing a cool iPhone app for your library if the entire library’s web site isn’t usable on the same device?
• Internet browsers come in all sizes, shapes, and levels of annoyance.  Each browser has slightly different rules about how it chooses to render a site.   If you look at your library’s site in Internet Explorer and then Firefox, chances are high they don’t look the same.  Being standards-compliant can minimize these differences.  Keep in mind also that sites often render differently in different versions of browsers.  Try looking at your site in Internet Explorer 6 and then Internet 7.  Make sure you’re sitting down first.
• You may actually be sucking up your visitors’ bandwidth.  Standards-compliant sites tend to be cleaner and more compact, without gobbeldygook code soup on the back end.  This means they tend to run faster.  Don’t have broadband in most homes in your service area?  Your library’s site on dial-up might be a nightmare for your patrons.
• Generally, you can’t have a site that’s accessible to people with disabilities without it also being code standard-compliant (although, alas, you can have the reverse).  If you aren’t using standard code, rest assured that your site is not good for people using adaptive software like voice readers.
• Non-standard code actually hurts your search engine rankings.  Sites that are standards-compliant are more friendly to those little Google robot spiders crawling through your site to index it.

What does this mean to me, Laura?

• If your site is running on HTML, it’s waaaay past time to bring it into the 21st century.  <plug type=”shameless’>Contact us at OPLIN to find out how you can get on the waiting list for the Dynamic Website Kits, which are totally standards-compliant.</plug>
• If you’re planning a re-design of your library’s site soon, it’s critical that you take standards into consideration.  The footloose-and-fancy-free “do whatever works” mentality won’t cut it anymore.  To do otherwise can end up making sure that people using alternative browsers (e.g. Opera, Firefox), mobile devices or adaptive software don’t visit your library’s web site.
• You can use automatic online and free validators from the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium–they make the international standards for web stuff):  Here is the XHTML validator and here is the CSS one.

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*Yes, I know this is a very simple explanation.  Want more?

**Yes, I also know that W3C is working on the HTML 5 spec.  But I am not holding my breath for a quick release and, if you are, I might have a bridge to sell  you.

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I have to assume that, by now, your library has finally jumped on the Twitter wagon.  (See here for additional info about Twitter for libraries.)  If your library is doing Twitter correctly, then you are courteously following (most of) your followers back.  (And if it’s not, you should be and I think I’ll chat a bit about that in a future Mean Laura post.)  You may have noticed some followers using words in their tweets preceeded by the pound (#) sign.  These are called hashtags.

Why use a hashtag?

Hashtags are used as an easy way to designate certain topics when using the Twitter search.  For example, a couple of weeks ago, I attended the Computers in Library conference in Washington D.C.  The official hashtag for the conference was #cil2009.  If you use(d) Twitter search with that hashtag, you would be able to get a fascinating real-time picture of what people were saying about the various sessions, and even conversations being held asynchronously via Twitter.

Do they have any effect?

The past several days, we’ve seen the true power of the hashtag with the AmazonFAIL fiasco.  Customers have found all kinds of ways to use social media to demonstrate their disapproval of Amazon.com’s move to make all LBGT literature “adult.”  (Read the last link to see the gory details.)  But on Twitter, the #amazonFAIL hashtag not only identified people’s contributions to this large-scale conversation, but as of this blog post, the topic is actually the most talked-about on Twitter.  Clearly, people are very unhappy with Amazon.com and they are not only making it known on an unprecedented scale, but they are doing so at an incredible speed.

What does this mean to me, Laura?

1. If  your library tweets on certain topics regularly, ,it may be helpful to use a hashtag, such as #bookdiscussion.  Note, however, that these are called hashTAGS for a reason–just like regular keyword tagging, there is no authoratative source for taxonomy.  Just make up a hashtag and use it consistently.
2. As the Shifted Librarian, Jenny Levine, found out, hashtags seem to have a limited lifespan in Twitter search.  Read her blog post for how she gets around this.
3. Certain events and happenings have “official” hashtags, such as the #cil2009 and #amazonFAIL tags, above.  If you’re attending a conference, find out what the official hashtag is before you start tweeting.  Sometimes people don’t do this, and you’ll see variations on the tag, rather than one consistent tag.  As you might guess, this is less than ideal.
4. On the other hand, if you go to a conference and the conference folks haven’t set one, be the first to make it up and promote it.  People will often use what they see first.
5. Hashtags are primarily intended for Twitter, but you will also often see them in action on blogs.  If you search Technorati, for example, for “cil2009″ (no hash/pound sign), you’ll get a ton of hits.

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Slideshare allows you to create a (free) account, then upload slide presentations easily.  You can choose to make the presentations private or public, and allow file download of the presentation as a whole, or not.  If your presentation is part of an event, slideshows can be collated by event (such as they will be for the upcoming Computers in Libraries conference).

The service also allows you to publicly declare if your content has a Creative Commons license, and also to embed the slideshow in your web site or blog.  One downside though; make sure your presentation is ready for prime-time before you upload it.  Changes to presentations cannot be made directly via Slideshare.  Made a mistake?  You’ll have to correct it offline and re-load the whole presentation.

What does this mean to me, Laura?

1. If your library does training for staff and/or patrons, this is a great way to centralize your slide presentations at an easy-to-remember URL.  (Check out OPLIN’s account at http://www.slideshare.net/OPLIN.)
2. A library can make certain shows private, so this could be a great addition to a staff intranet.
3. Like most Web 2.0 applications, there are social aspects built in.   Communities can exist around topics and groups, and you can subscribe to the presentations of particular users.  Comments are a given.
4. Slideshare also provides handy stats; you can see how many times a particular slideshow has been viewed and how many people have marked it as a favorite or embedded it in their sites/blogs.
5. Just today, Slideshare announced they’re going mobile.

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