User Tagging Behaviors in an OPAC: An Analysis of Seven Years of I-Share User Tags

Abstract

User tagging services are under-used in cultural heritage institutions despite existing for over a decade. This study considers seven years of user tags from university and public institutions by comparing service usage between institution types and qualitatively analyzing a selection of tags from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Researchers found that, overall, few users are tagging items in the online catalogs, but tags being created are largely descriptive in nature, indicating the potential to improve discoverability for under-described materials. With improved education on their use and purpose, tagging and annotation services can become invaluable resources for cultural heritage institutions.