Module 4 : Tagging, Del.icio.us and Library Thing

• #7 Tagging and Del.icio.us
  
  

Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts).

Unlike library subject cataloging, which follows a strict set of guidelines (i.e.Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data anyway they want.

Blogger allows you to add tags to your blog posts, while Google Reader allows you to add tags to subscription items.

Tags are finding aids.

This module looks at tags, focuses on Del.icio.us (keyed in as http://del.icio.us/) and explores Library Thing

Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking manager which allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks.

Many users find that the power of Del.icio.us is in the social network aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest.

For this #7th exercise, browse through the following discovery resources including libraries and organisations that are using tags. Look at Del.icio.us and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.

Discovery Resources: Tags

• The ABC news website now features tags on their news stories. Browse by tag cloud (at the bottom of the ABC news page see the link to Tags and Tag Cloud.
• The new SLV Search interface encourages the adding of tags. View the tags page and links to the tag list at the bottom right on any item record. ie Search for a Tim Winton title
• The BBC news website invites readers to tag articles using Del.icio.us.

Discovery Resources: Del.icio.us

• Us.ef.ul: A beginners guide to Del.icio.us
• Melanie Ngo's powerpoint presentation about Del.icio.us

Discovery Exercise:

1. View the Del.icio.us account has also been created for use by operators on SLV chat.
2. Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?
   

# 8 Catalogue your own books with Library Thing

Are you book lover or cataloguer at heart? Or do you enjoy finding lost and forgotten gems on the shelf to read?

Then LibraryThing may be just the tool for you.

Developed for booklovers, this online tool not only allows you to easily create an online catalogue of your own it also connects you to other people who have similar libraries and reading tastes.

Add a book to your catalog by just entering the title -- It’s so easy that you don’t even need MARC record training to do it – or connect with other users through your similar reading tastes.

There are lots of ways to use LibraryThing:

• You can even view your books on a virtual shelf,
• add a widget to display titles that are in your catalogue or install a LT Search box on your blog.
  

Library Thing members have catalogued over 43 million books online. (LibraryThing also has group forum for librarians users).

For this #8th exercise view the resources about Library Thing and then blog about tags, del.icio.us and what you think of Library Thing. Creating an account to Library Thing is an optional exercise.

Discovery Resources:

• About LibraryThing
• Library Thing tour
• Yarra Plenty Library uses Library Thing tags in their online catalogue. Search on a general fiction title for best results ie The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas. View the tags at the bottom of the 'Item Information'. View LCSHeadings on the 'Catalogue Record' (2nd tab across).

Discovery Exercise:

1. Using the resoures above, have a look around LibraryThing.
   
2. Blog about your thoughts on tags, Del.ico.us and LibraryThing. Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance, or is it just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere? What are your thoughts on the wider use of tags, including on the SLV catalogue?

Optional Exercise:

1. Create an account for Library Thing. You will need to create a new account with any username and password, with an email address optional (Note: it is not a Google product like Blogger).
2. Add a least 3 books to your library. You can calso create a link on your blog to your Library Thing.
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