Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
| Online Publication Date: 10 Dec 2014
Increasing Access in 140 Characters or Less: Or, What Are Archival Institutions Doing on Twitter?
Increasing Access in 140 Characters or Less: Or, What Are Archival Institutions Doing on Twitter?
Page Range: 534 – 557
Archival institutions are increasingly participating in social media as a form of digital outreach. The affordances of popular online platforms such as Twitter allow managers of institutional accounts to highlight digital content, publicize events, and interact with users who might not otherwise know about the institution. This article presents a picture of archival activity on Twitter, using data collected from 34 institutions during October 2011. The sample accounts range from formal broadcasting of information to a more informal, conversational style. This article seeks to understand current institutional behavior on the platform and asks, "What are archival institutions doing on Twitter?"
Keywords: Twitter; Tweets; Social Media; Advocacy; Public Programs