LIS 9763

Folksonomies give people the ability to classify information in a way that is clear to them. If a user can locate information and store it in a manner that is easy for them, then learning is that much more fun! Tags that people select to label content are terms that they can easily remember.
 
Although folksonomies have great features there are some issues concerning the use of uncontrolled vocabulary.  In Adam Mathe’s article he talks about how the use of uncontrolled vocabulary can lead to weaknesses within these tools.  While users are searching and finding content they are applying the same tag in different ways.  For example, someone might apply the tag music for a particular music CD, and they might also apply the same tag music for a book about music therapy. This brings up some very important points, especially when users are conducting research.  They might search within a library catalogue and think that their subject selection has a wide variety of material.  Once they actually read the content they might be surprised to find that it is not what they were looking for. Further in my blog under case studies, I comment on how libraries can incorporate both folksonomies and controlled vocabulary.
 
As mentioned these tools allow for users to classify content in their own style. Another great feature folksonomies offer is the power they give people. Emanuele Quintarelli’s article titled,’ Folksonomies Power to the People makes some good points about this topic. He discusses how users feel more empowered on exploring and searching using these tools. I agree with him on this point. Relying strictly on the DDC and LLC is not user friendly. From working in a public library I have various questions and comments from customers locating material on our catalogue.
The following is a list short list:
What does 615.1 mean? What is the subject topic  for the 400’s I forget? I am searching for travel books on Europe but your catalogue has 300, where are they? How can I find the one I want?
If anyone wants to know how I answer these questions feel free to reply to my blogJ
 
Case Studies
The Ann Arbor District Library Catalog
The first thing I did when I entered this library’s website was search for Harry Potter and then Deathly Hallows.  Once I found it I saw how they incorporated their catalog and tagging.  I really liked the way they did this, because it used both controlled vocabulary and tagging. Users were able to search further items related to their topic on the tags listed below. I further explored the site and decided to see how the tagging system worked on the right hand side. I noticed how alot of book titles were under tags and from a  user’s perspective this would make it easier to locate matierial. I was searching for books on Barack Obama and selected the tag with his name and it directed me to related items. I like the way this library incorporated both a catalogue and a tagging system.
 
I did some investigating on Library Thing and then explored the Blais Catalog – The Libraries of the Clairmont Colleges to see how they incorporated this feature. I was impressed with what I saw. By conducting a few searches I noticed that they featured other similar book titles underneath the one I searched as well as library thing tags. This makes searching alot of fun and user friendly for customers.
 
Libraries are for learning, exploring and relaxing. We can have all these things by incorporating new technology within librararies’ cataloguing methods. This is the future, let’s go with it!!!!