Why Linking Your Facebook Page to Twitter is Not Cool

Many think that it is easier to connect Facebook to Twitter, so that things you Facebook also appear on Twitter without you going to Twitter to post.  Where linking the two account together is easier, it is not Twitter friendly, inviting, or professional.  Here are a few reasons why you should not link your Facebook Page to Twitter:

1)  Facebook allows for more that 140 Characters.

Twitter allows for posting no more that 140 characters.  Facebook allows for much more than that.  So, what happens to a pst over 140 characters?  It becomes a link to Facebook, and people do not go to Twitter to be directed back to Facebook.  Sometimes your entire post is just a link to Facebook, especially if it’s a photo.  The below tells us there is a Welcome Home Celebration for the Rushford-Peterson Boys Basketball Team at 7PM, but it does finish telling us where.

2)  It’s not social.

If you want people to retweet, favorite or even reply to your Tweets, it is less likely to happen when you provide a link to Facebook.  Facebook cuts off sentences, so you won’t necessarily be able to read what the whole tweet is about, so why retweet, favorite, or reply to something that you don’t know the meaning behind.  These types of posts also do not engage the Twitter audience.

3)  What about people and other businesses on Twitter?

When you mention a famous person or another business/partner/organization on Facebook, you can link their name to their Facebook Page so that more people will see it and you can acknowledge them.  When that post connects to Twitter, it does not link to that person or place’s Twitter account.  You need to use that person or place’s Twitter Handle in the tweet to get it noticed by more than one audience.

Why Master Gardeners are the Best Thing to Happen to Adult Services Programmers (in the Summer)

Are you looking summer programs in your library for adults?  Have you thought of your local Master Gardeners?  Master Gardeners are great for programming:  1) They are free; 2) they usually draw in a good sized audience; and 3) they know their stuff.

I have been working with the Master Gardener Program for five years, and almost every program they have done for me has be extremely successful.  Two of the most popular programs were Container Gardening and Fairy Gardens, both programs brought over 20 people in attendance.  Last year, we also hosted a “How to Become a Master Gardener Program,” and the Gardeners had the most people they have ever had attend the workshop.  The Gardeners are great for the summer, especially, because that is when people want to know about caring for their yard and garden.

What is a Master Gardener?  Master Gardeners is a program ran by your County Extension Office (usually through a University).  To become a Master Gardener, you have to apply.  Once you are in, you have to take classes and continuing ed on all things horticulture.  Master Gardeners typically have to put in so many hours of volunteering a year, and one way they can do that is by giving classes or presentations.

When is the best time to hold a Master Gardener Program?  May and June are the best and the most preferred by Master Gardeners.  This is because these two months are the height of the growing season.  If your looking for something in July, there is always a program on bugs (literally).  You could stretch into August/September with a “How to Become a Master Gardener” Class or have the Gardeners have a booth in your library where they answer your patrons questions.

How to Get a Hold of the Master Gardeners?  Call your local county extension office and either talk to their coordinator or leave them a message; each office is a little different.  May and June are their busy months, so they prefer you call them in February or March to schedule an event.  Though, I’ve called as late as April and still managed to schedule some programs.

Happy Programming! 🙂

23 Mobile Things – Thing 4

Thing 4 is on Keeping Up which is quite obvious from this blog something that I need to work on, but mostly it is on using RSS Feeds (Really Simple Syndication) to keep up with blogs, articles, websites, and what not

We had the choice of using one of these two apps:

Flipboard

Flipboard allows you to add pretty much anything you’d like to create an eye-catching personal magazine. You can add content from newspaper websites, blogs, your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts, and even content from places like Etsy.

Zite

Zite is a smart personal magazine in that it knows what you like. When you build your Zite magazine, you tell Zite about what you like and it populates your magazine. Then it tracks what you read and continues to populate your magazine with things it thinks you may like.

One app that 23 Mobile Things – MN did not mention that I use already is Feedly.

Feedly

Instead of having to hunt down for news, feedly aggregates the contents of your favorite sites and delivers them as a fast mobile-optimized experience.

You tailor feedly to your tastes by creating a collection of the sites you love to read – blogs, magazines, journals, and more.

For this activity, I did try out Flipboard since it already comes standard with an Android Phone.

Here is what I found:

With Flipboard, you have to know the exact website address to search.  You cannot just type in a website name or person’s name it has to be exact.  With Feedly, you can search by website/blog name and by a person’s name and it will bring up the website/blog etc.

I did like how Flipboard had the feature to turn a page like a magazine.

What I do not like about any of these apps is that when an RSS is updated it does not send out a notification on your phone/tablet.  I am expected to go to the app to check for new content.  No!  I want to be notified of new content that is why I subscribe to an RSS feed.

If these apps were to add a notification setting, I would be game.  Right now I think I will stick to old fashioned way of getting RSS updates on my email and when I open my web browser.

 

Long Hiatus

Sorry for the long hiatus from the blog.  I was in the midst of a job transition.  I am no longer the Adult Services Librarian at the Willmar Public Library.  I am now the Adult Services Librarian at the Winona Public Library which is located in Southeast MN which is where I am originally from.

I will be posting more about 23 Mobile Things as the deadline (thank god) has been extended.  I will also blog more about programming and other activities I have done to promote the library.

23 Mobile Things – Thing 3

Thing Three is on mobile utilities and can be found at this link: http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/3-utilities/

I choose to review two apps:  the  RedLaser Barcode & QR Scanner & Wi-Fi Finder.  Both are compatible with Apple and Android Technologies.

RedLaser Barcode & QR Scanner

I am a major couponer, so I thought this would be the perfect app for me.  You know scan the UPCs of the items I need, and it will tell me where to find it for the least amount.   Being that Willmar, MN is a smaller town:  after an item was scanned, the app could not find any local results; it only found online results.  It did, however,  recognize the local Target as a carrier of Lays Wavy Potato Chips but no other stores.  I would not recommend using the barcode scanner in smaller towns but maybe in a larger city.

I did really like this app for QR Code Scanning.  I tested it with the QR Codes that the Willmar Public Library has in the back of some of our books for similar reads and it worked really well at getting me where I needed to be.

 Wi-Fi Finder

I thought that this app would be perfect for traveling and when in need of wi-fi.  I tried the app out locally, and it found about five free locations in the area; the library was even one of the locations!  What I didn’t like is that it didn’t show some of the area’s local delicacies (local coffee shops) that had free wi-fi as well.  It only showed big names like McDonalds, Caribou, and what not.  So, it’s not very good at area attraction, but it is good at finding free wi-fi.

23 Mobile Things – Thing 2

Thing 2 talks about Mobile Utilities/Tools that are helpful when using mobile technology.  The link to the task(s) can be found here: http://23mobilethingsmn.org/the-23-things/2-utilities/.

For this particular task, I watched the  iPad Tips and Tricks and the Samsung Galaxy Smart Phone Tips and Tricks videos.  Here they are, as well:

iPad Tips and Tricks

• I really liked the pace of the video.  It was slow enough for someone to follow along and play with the iPad.
• The Control Center feature, by sliding up from the bottom, I literally just learned about yesterday when a patron showed it to me and asked me what the features in the Center were.  Anyway, the easy access to the Control Center is pretty nifty.
• I did not know about the double-tapping of the home button and how all the open apps appear.  I liked this feature as it makes it easy to toggle between apps if you are using more than one.  I, also, like how you can easily close an open app by swiping up.

Samsung Galaxy Smart Phone Tips & Tricks

• The narrator in this video spoke fast and so for this one I had to listen and pause and sometime play back.
• I did learn some really cool things about by phone, though.  I love the voice activating of the camera.  I can wait to use it to take pictures.  I think it will be really helpful when you want to be in a picture and don’t want to take a selfie.
• I also really like the Lockout Security App.  I am constantly misplacing my phone, so I think it will be really helpful in moments like that and if anything were to happen to it.

23 Mobile Things – Thing 1

Thing 1 was create and register a blog.

I already have this blog, so I registered it for the program.  You can find my blog and a list of other blogs in the SAMMIE region listed here:  http://23mobilethingsmn.org/sammie/.  

If you do not have a blog already set up, Tumblr and Blogger were recommended.  Here are some brief thoughts of Tumblr, Blogger, & WordPress:

Tumblr – If you are Youth Services/Teen Librarian, this is the blogging site for you as it is used more by younger people.  The usability is also not that bad.

Blogger – Blogger is a good beginners blogging site.  I say this because the ease of use if fairly simplistic.

WordPress – While the usability on this site can often be difficult and frustrating, it allows to have a more professional, almost website-like blog. 

 

23 Mobile Things – MN

I will be participating in the Minnesota Multitypes’ 23 Mobile Things.  This will be taking up most of my blog with some basic programming and other blog posts in between things.  If you are a Minnesota Librarian, I encourage you to participate in this program.  It gives some good insight on apps and mobile technology that will help when patrons have these types of questions.  Here is the link to the program:  http://23mobilethingsmn.org/

Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Legacy Fund + an Awesome Partnership

Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Legacy Fund provides excellent opportunities for libraries and communities.  I was able to use Legacy Funds to bring Minnesota Book Award author Atina Diffley to the Willmar Public Library.  Diffley is the author Turn Here Sweet Corn.  Because her book is about organic farming, I worked with the Willmar Community-Own-Grocery (COG).  COG provided locally made food and created the flyer and press release.  There was very minimal work on my part other than getting the grant to provide the author.

There were roughly 27 people in attendance at the program.  The library gained several new members to the Friends Group that day, and COG also gained many members.

The event was so successful that a letter was written to the local paper about the Arts and Culture Legacy Grant and the partnership between the library and COG.  You can read it here:  http://tinyurl.com/l3foxj2

December/January Live It! Article

It was my turn, again, to write the Read It! column in Willmar’s Live It! Magazine.  This time I wrote about some of those “Hot” Reads for Cold Nights.  That’s right!  I did reader’s advisory for romance books.  I focused on four specific romance genres:  New Adult, Superromance, the racy novels, and romances for men.  Take a look at the article here:

http://tinyurl.com/le45jf6