Bookish Disposition

Managing 140-Character Records

There comes a time in any information-generating technology's life when things get serious and someone says, "Hey, what about the records?"  That discussion was sparked on Twitter this week by a great post on Bits, Bytes & Archives.  How can we capture and preserve Twitter feeds for the future? 

The way we use Web 2.0 technology is growing up, and if this stuff is worth saving, it's worth asking some grown-up questions about how we might manage and preserve the information that Twitter and other technologies help us create, share, and access.  The big question is how to adapt our established methods and create new methods when the old ones just don't apply.   Here's my own first attempt at a Twitter records analysis - how would you tackle this?

Grandma would have loved Twitter

Twitter isn't really new at all.  My great-grandmother kept a journal where she recorded the weather, her projects, and the events of her day.  This entry from January 1933 would have been perfect for her Twitter feed:

Just got over having bridge party.  Everyone seemed to have good time.  Served apples & candy.  Lovely day.  Making sheet & pillow cases for Dorothy.

Some will argue that sharing such mundane details isn't serious or dignified enough.  Some might even chide my grandmother for reporting on silly things like party refreshments.  Bridge parties may be frivolous, but the local newspaper in her small town delighted in reporting on them in detail.  Maybe that community desire to share and to know what other people are doing isn't so newfangled, after all.  To a great-granddaughter who didn't have the opportunity to know her, this is priceless.  I have glimpses of her because she shared them and because someone took the time to save them.   

Dancing with the Stars for Records Managers

      In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that I'm one of those hypocritical people who scoff at reality TV and then end up watching weekend marathons of Top Chef or Project Runway.  (Maybe it's more accurate to say that I despise reality TV unless it involves sequins, cute carpenters, and/or kitchen-prepared non-creepy-crawly food.) 

     As I watch the first results show for this season's Dancing with the Stars, I'm seeing some records management lessons:

• Sell it.  Your records program may not have all the answers, yet, and your big project may not be done, but by golly, it's fabulous, and so are you.  The DWTS couples who succeed bring every ounce of confidence and presentation to their performance.  If you believe in what you're doing, others will, too.

• Be a partner with somebody who's really, really good.  DWTS isn't a solo competition, and neither is records management.  Well-chosen, experienced partners from inside and outside your division / department / company / world can bring new energy and ideas, and they can make you look good.

• Sometimes you have to wear purple sequins.  You can tell that some of the DWTS stars aren't accustomed to the kind of fake tan, fringe-and-sequins style it takes to pull off a samba, but they're giving it their best shot.  Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones and learn about cloud computing or talk to the people they keep locked away in the server room.  It's good for us.  It's worth the risk.  We might actually look good in purple sequins.

• Having your friends and fans call in can make all the difference.  You can be good, but if nobody knows about it, you can only go so far.  When people know about you and your program, they're more likely to recommend you to others, call you for help, and speak up for you.  Asking your fans to support you is a good strategy in both the ballroom and boardroom.

Finding Records Management News You Can Use

I've been working on a presentation and handout featuring some of my favorite sources for records management news and updates. 

I'd love to have your input.  What are your favorite sources and news-gathering tools?

The presentation and handout are available here.

Finding Records Management News You Can Use

View more presentations from Robin Riat. (tags: management records)