Carleton’s MacOdrum Library Twitter account recently gained traction as a source of humour for followers, and it’s all thanks to Mike Reynolds’ inability to construct boring tweets.
Reynolds, the library’s communications officer, is responsible for tweeting library capacity updates. Due to pandemic restrictions, the library currently has a maximum capacity of 100 people.
Using a frequently updated spreadsheet, Reynolds usually sends out a capacity update twice daily. However, these tweets are more than just a number.
“The first time I wrote out something like, ‘Our capacity is now 10 people,’ I was looking at it like, that is a terrible tweet,’” Reynolds said. “I just read it and I was like, I cannot press send on this.”
You might be shocked to learn that there are 21 people in the Library as of 10:30 a.m.
Don’t be, this is pretty standard for this time of day.
You might also be shocked to learn it is now October.
Don’t be, this is pretty standard for the day after September 30.
— MacOdrum Library (@CarletonLibrary) October 1, 2020
Reynolds has always enjoyed running Twitter accounts—their personal account has over 13,000 followers—but struggles with the standard headline-with-attached-link tweet format. They prefer to chat with people and foster human discussion.
It’s rainy and there are 13 people in the Library as of 10 a.m.
This is lower than usual and I get it. You don’t want to go out in the rain. We miss you, of course we do. But we want you to stay dry and cozy.
*puts hands in pockets, whistles a tune and kicks a rock*
— MacOdrum Library (@CarletonLibrary) October 7, 2020
Reynolds said their desire for community-building tweets became even more important to them after quarantine. Their approach to the account has not only garnered a positive response from others, but also benefited Reynolds’ own mental health.
“I love being able to make other people smile just by leaving nice, encouraging messages, and for me as well, it’s just nice to be able to have those conversations,” Reynolds said.
Amber Lannon, the university’s head librarian, said she is a big fan of Reynolds’ tweets.
With COVID-19 restrictions in place at the library, Lannon said she misses seeing students in the library and views the Twitter account as a way for the library to continue connecting with students.
“I love it. I’m one of the people who checks it regularly and I don’t really need to know that information at all,” she said. “I really like looking at the replies and seeing how many likes they get.”
Andrea Makris is a Carleton student who started following the Twitter account when it popped up in her feed one day and, to her surprise, made her laugh.
“It’s very personable in the way that it’s not just a machine iterating the capacity of the library every half hour,” Makris said. “It’s an actual person that tells jokes on top of noting the capacity of the library.”
When Makris received a humorous reply from the library account under a capacity tweet, she said it created an emotional bond with the account.
“It’s like gaining a new friend that you never even knew was possible,” she said.
Makris said even though she doesn’t know the person behind the account, she feels connected to them.
“There’s someone behind that mask, but you kind of enjoy the whimsical idea that it’s just a library, sitting on campus, with nothing to do except tell dad jokes to the public,” she said.
In the future, Reynolds doesn’t plan on stopping their quest to make people smile.
“It’s just being a person and people relate to other people being a person,” Reynolds said.
