Settled in an unassuming office, David Anaya and Michelle Bogart of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum spent one hour hurriedly clicking and typing, assessing new information and strategizing about what to post next while participating in a national Twitter chat on Friday afternoon.
A part of a U.S. National Archives initiative to help give presidential libraries a platform to share information about their namesakes, the chat also featured the participation of several presidential libraries including representatives of the libraries of George W. Bush, Harry Truman, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Franklin Roosevelt.
In recognition of Women's History Month, the chat focused on women who worked in the White House throughout the years.
Anaya, director of marketing and communications for the Bush Library, said that sharing the information available at the library and museum with local, regional and national audiences who may not be familiar with President Bush is one of his greatest goals.
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By participating in the chat, Anaya said it gives the library the opportunity to reach beyond its followers and to give it access to the audiences of both the other presidential libraries and the National Archive itself.
Ultimately, however, he said even if one person sees the information and makes a connection, it makes the hours of work, research and preparation for the chat worth it -- especially if they find themselves wanting to learn more about the former president's legacy.
"We're hoping they make a connection and they like it," Anaya said. "Maybe they want to follow us and maybe they want to learn a little bit more. Hopefully, they want to come visit."
Bogart, who works as an archivist, said for her, finding new and exciting ways to share the content she spends her days with is a rewarding opportunity.
"The function of an archivist is to make sure the information is available," Bogart said. "I think Twitter -- and social media in general -- is a good way to reach out to some of the younger groups of people who aren't going to come into the library and look at the records that I work on all day. To be able to share the information and get it out there in an interesting and fun sort of way that can get people excited about history and the government is great."
During the chat Friday, the presidential libraries shared quotes, photos, videos and stories relating to the women who played roles in each of the president's respective administrations.
The Bush Library's tweets included recognitions of Antonia Novello, Bernadine Healy, Carla Hills and several mentions of then-Senior Director of Soviet and East European Affairs Condoleezza Rice.
Looking toward the future, Anaya said that he hopes to use social media more as a way to increase engagement with the online community and find new ways to share the history of President Bush's time in office.
To learn more about the Bush Library, visit bush41.org.