Tracking words with Twitter

Twitter recently added a Twitter Tracking feature that lets you track keywords and phrases that twitterers use while twittering. Just for kicks, I tracked the word library for 24 hours – every time someone entered the word library into twitter, I received the update… Here’s what I got back from Twitter:

First, my own test updates:

• testing something out – library
• Cool – I’m playing with twitter tracking. I’m tracking library – and it took like 10 secs from enering the word to getting the notification

Before you read the twitters, think about this – have you ever wondered what your customers think of you? Ever wondered what people think about [fill-in-the-blank]? This Twitter Tracking tool allows you to get a small, rather random glance at people’s thoughts on a topic.

{fyi – this isn’t all of them – not even half. And I removed most of the references to things like iTunes Library, JavaScript Library, and I think one World of Warcraft Library reference. Oh, and two library thing references and a library elf reference, too}

So – here’s what people twitter about libraries – I found this fascinating:

• met stefanie at the library by chance meeting. she picked out a book for me.
• @ the library with jay, testing netwerx
• The girl across from me at the library kind of has man-hands.
• heading home.. maybe a quick stop at the library?
• Sooo we’re back. It was okay. Bought some yummy bagels since I had a craving for ’em…got new library card and took out my book for 4MP!
• back to the library for the 4th time in 2 days 3rd time today if i dont get at least a c on this test ill die
• I really hate the campus library. No, I hate researching a topic I care nothing for.
• late night meeting with a client at the local library
• Yahoo! Hack Event today at the University of the Philippines College of Engineering Library and Computer Science Building Lecture Hall.
• finally started studying. law library.
• back at the library to file away to videos before hopping on a jet plane south
• Guy who hasn’t checked out a library book in 30 years. I totally introduced him to the art of calling us to put things on hold. He’s happy.
• library is surprisingly crowded
• More cellphone rudeness I wasn’t aware of: apparently it’s ok to take phonecalls in a public library now. Happened 3x in the last hour.
• All alone in a smelly corner of ASUs nerd library.
• Getting ready to read my new book from the library and going to sleep after. Have a good night!
• sunbathing outside state library. Wanna join us?
• Workers divided in vote on deal to end civic strike: Vancouver’s library workers have rejected a proposed…
• It’s just gonna take too much time for it to download before I can watch it. Gonna have to go to the library again.
• Yay Harry Potter 7 CDs are in at the library!!! I’m still on book 5, oh well, still exciting!!!
• Another awesome thing about the restaurant: it’s across a public library. I just got my first SF library card!
• this evening has flown by — busy, busy!  but that’s the way I like it when I work late!  I wish I worked for a library with wi-fi!
• getting irritated at this guy walking all about in the library, IT’S SO DISTRACTING!
• I found our Scienrtific library a great place to catch up on sleep. Much to the amusement of the security guard! 🙂
• Am back at Gotham Library for the morning, doing my old job. It’s very amusing, have caused a lot of double-takes.
• Amending my article about NZ music for the Radio Journal. Need a few more references – but they’re sitting in a library in Auckland. Damn.
• stalking people in the library for Research Method class… What a stupid assignment?
• What is the nicest library I can see in Rome/Vatican?
• just emerged from the “library.” draft one done. editing now.
• Time to get Gretel ready for story time at our local library. Must. Remember. Camera.
• I love finding an older picture on Flickr & seeing that it’s been viewed once. Like finding that library book that’s never been checked out.
• back from library forum, there are some really great ideas floating around the library
• I love my kids mondegreens. Kaya this morning – “dad, we have to take this library book back today or it will be over dude”
• I might have to start dropping elbows on these kids in the library that won’t shut the hell up.
• working from library today – walk through downtown and the sound of commerce ringing clear
• Back in the stinking library.
• Listening to a preschool story group reciting “Diddle Diddle Dumpling My Son John” with a teddy bear at the library.
• Library has ALL of the Thin Man movies! Thin Man Marathon! (with cocktails!)
• “The library isn’t good for books” Wow. Gwan UCC!
• off to the library to get some intense work done before dreamweaver/CSS class this evening (mix in some Game database work on the side pls)
• Research at the UM Map library on consumer water usage in Israel and Palestine
• sitting in the library missing my lesbians.
• sorry thelonedrifter, the library sucks
• @addisontodd that’s ’cause you’re illiterate… not the library’s problem
• Headding to the library
• Technically, you’re not supposed to use the reference computers for MySpace, but maybe if you to add the library’s page to your f-list …
• Library is packed with noisy beings, other languages and exposed underwear.
• in a library that’s not mine, leeching wifi and writing