Week 5 - Thing 11

After hearing so much hype about Twitter, I finally decided to check it out. At first it seemed overly simple... the user enters in a short message about what they are doing right now. My first thought was "Who cares?" I decided to join to see how it works. I still think it is simple, but I started to see why some people like it. It is a way to keep in touch with a group of friends in a very short time. It is very convenient to be able to make comments from a phone while on the go. Instead of texting a bunch of friends to let them know about plans, a quick message on Twitter can notify a large group at once. The implications for schools or libraries can be big. Libraries can use this tool to notify patrons about events going on at the library. Updates can be made often as the event approaches so that patrons are reminded. Librarians can also make updates about new books and resources in quick blurbs. Schools may not be able to use this device because it is social networking, but it could be used to remind students of events, forms that need to be turned in, or homework assignment reminders. With so many new tools, it is going to be hard to choose the best ones to use in the work environment!