Thing 13 Tagging

I think tagging is a fantastic way to group things or find things!! Controlled vocabulary has its pluses, but it always frustrated me to be looking for a subject and not be able to find it because I was using the wrong word. The only example I can think of is an old one--elementary student is looking for books on "cars". That's wasn't the term at the time--it was "automobile." So, the students often didn't find what they needed through the old card catalog unless the system was well crossreferenced. So, I definitely feel that tagging has its place.

I don't advocate for doing away with controlled vocabularies or subject authorities. These methods of indexing or organizing definitely work. These approaches are hindered if the subject headings are applied liberally though. I chuckle when I think back a million years ago when I took cataloging and 3 subject headings was considered plenty. Now I believe I've heard it recommended that 6 or more is fine. The more the better access points into the material.

But all this is through that controlled way. I see tagging as another way to access materials. A teacher comes to you and wants books on "change." She wants to show the various ways change affects humans. There is no subject heading that will bring all these together. Or, what about all the books that might be used to teach cause and effect? You just wouldn't put that as a subject heading. Tags allow interpretation by user. I can tag the books that I find that use famous paintings in the illustrations. Or, ones that I find useful to teach Texas history. Or group all the parodies and modern versions of Cinderella. Or,...

Tagging also allows you to put a label on something to remind you of what event it is associated with or who requested it or who might want it. One librarian tagged books in her Shelfari to be read bookshelf as those she read talked about at a leadership conference. Tagging pictures of the event allows others to access these or even be a subset of a large group of pictures from that event such as the TLA09 tag in flickr.

Some online automation system are allowing tagging. I think this is a feature that will empower users to share with each other or remember for themselves in a bit different way. I do agree that some internal vocabulary controls will have to be in place. Most automation systems do have that filter on tagging so that the offensive words are just ignored. With that safeguard, I think librarians can feel good about opening this feature to their patrons. It sure works well in flickr.com, shelfari,com, amazon.com, and other places which have implemented tagging. I'm advocating to add tagging to my library's system--just have to fund that feature.