I also appreciated the post, Tim. Great data. One likely implication
is that most stand-alone catalogs may not be able to accumulate
sufficient tags for optimal use. Which just adds to the sense that
stand-alone catalogs are less effective and efficient than collective
systems and services.
How might tagging work if library staff also did tagging as part of
their work ("expert" tagging)?
What I'm thinking is that subject specialists/reference staff/selectors
could potentially be adding tags in the library world as part of their
tasks. The volume of new acquisitions might be so large that they might
only be able to address a portion of the new works. On the other hand,
their tags would likely be very relevant. Catalogers generally do a
good job of providing the topical container for work they address while
selectors and public services staff have more of an ongoing relationship
with users of library and library-accessible works.
If this were done in a collective catalogue, there could be sufficient
accumulation of "expert" tags applied to records for more heavily used
resources.
Another approach I would consider taking to add to the accumulation of
relevant tags (were I a developer in either a library or non-library
context) is to "suggest" tags that users can select based on content or
previous tags that had been cross-matched to content of the work at hand
and/or similar works. Say the top 5 or 10 tags that might be applied to
the work could be suggested allowing the users to utilize these as well
as their own tags.
Allen Mullen
Eugene Public Library
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
>[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Eric Lease Morgan
>Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 7:04 AM
>To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
>Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Book tagging: Amazon and LibraryThing
>
>On Feb 20, 2007, at 3:41 PM, Tim Spalding wrote:
>
>> http://www.librarything.com/thingology/2007/02/when-tags-works-and-
>> when-they-dont.php
>>
>> ...Tags only work in big numbers....
>
>
>Nice post.
>
>Yes, in order for tagging to work, there needs to be a high
>number tags applied to any given item, and you need to have a
>large number of diverse people doing the tagging. You are only
>going to get the second thing if you allow people to tag their
>own item, not yours.
>These same principles are elaborated upon in James
>Surowiecki's The Wisdom Of Crowds (www.librarything.com/work/17697).
>
>--
>Eric Lease Morgan
>University Libraries of Notre Dame
>
Received on Wed Feb 21 2007 - 12:05:13 EST