Tagging

Tagging most certainly belongs in the library! The best way I can see tagging used is for personal assignments and for classes. Say you have three papers due in two different classes. While researching paper one, all articles/books/resources can be tagged classApaper1. Then alter the tag for the other papers and classes. Does this created a clutter of irrelevant tags for other users? I do not think so! Because others in the class present and future would be able to find relevant articles quickly. A tag search can be truncated and therefore still useful if the class name is apart of the tag. Professors could also implement tags into their lectures. Professors are constantly assigning outside reading. Instead of having an article or package of articles put on reserve, a tag could be used instead. Tagging very much complements the subject headings. A user can use subject heading to find specific tags and tags to find specific subject headings. Also, tagging should make the subject heading more visible to users. They will both aide the research process and locating of material. For all of the above possibilities and other potential tagging has to offer, this should definitely be encouraged.