Tag, YOU'RE IT!

Cue "pontificating" music - as I settle down in to lecture mode:

Tagging can be a very useful tool... oh, nevermind the pompous language... let's start this little post over again...

I like the idea of patrons "tagging" library materials. For Pete's sake, the ordinary patron has no clue about "controlled vocabulary" or official LOC language so, oftentimes, they put in how they think of searching for an item and it yields zilch results in the catelogue. Now, wouldn't it be nice if Infosoup or other catalogues were enabled such that a patron, when they see an item they want, can "tag" it so next time they're looking for it, they can put the tag word into the search bar and it would yield the item! It'd be pretty helpful for OPAC searching - as patrons aren't always very knowledgeable on how to find things. (I'm still not all that great at advanced keyword searching - much less Sue Jones or John Smith. (Both of whom are my BEST friends... ;0 )

As for tagging being unsettling - on the contrary, the wild uncontrollableness of it is liberating! No restrictions, no goofy Sears headings... none of that "by the book" stuff... how wonderful.

I am now waiting for the rotten tomatoes from the cataloguers....