This document outlines a study examining whether academic libraries in the United States are reaching their intended audiences via Twitter. The study will identify US academic libraries with Twitter accounts, survey them about their Twitter use and goals, code the followers of responding libraries to categorize them as students/alumni, faculty/staff, affiliated university entities, libraries/librarians, local businesses, unaffiliated, or unknown. Preliminary results from coding 20 libraries show average percentages of followers in each category. Next steps include more coding, statistical analysis, and writing conclusions and recommendations.
3. “
The library world has
been far too gullible,
far too willing to regard “
any technical advance
as a service advance[.]
Lauer, J. D., & McKinzie, S. (2002/2003). Bad moon rising: A candid examination of digital reference and what
it means to the profession. Reference Librarian, 38(79/80), 45-56.
12. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
13. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
14. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey
15. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey
• Code followers of the libraries that
answer the survey
16. • Get IRB approval
- This EXEMPT research protocol has been approved by the
Human Research Review Committee at Grand Valley State
University. File No. 11-156-H.
• Identify U.S. academic libraries with
Twitter accounts
• Send these libraries a survey
• Code followers of the libraries that
answer the survey
• Analyze data
