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Collaborative tagging as a knowledge organisation and resource discovery tool

George Macgregor (Centre for Digital Library Research, Department of Computer & Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)
Emma McCulloch (Centre for Digital Library Research, Department of Computer & Information Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)

Library Review

ISSN: 0024-2535

Article publication date: 1 June 2006

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of the collaborative tagging phenomenon and explore some of the reasons for its emergence.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the related literature and discusses some of the problems associated with, and the potential of, collaborative tagging approaches for knowledge organisation and general resource discovery. A definition of controlled vocabularies is proposed and used to assess the efficacy of collaborative tagging. An exposition of the collaborative tagging model is provided and a review of the major contributions to the tagging literature is presented.

Findings

There are numerous difficulties with collaborative tagging systems (e.g. low precision, lack of collocation, etc.) that originate from the absence of properties that characterise controlled vocabularies. However, such systems can not be dismissed. Librarians and information professionals have lessons to learn from the interactive and social aspects exemplified by collaborative tagging systems, as well as their success in engaging users with information management. The future co‐existence of controlled vocabularies and collaborative tagging is predicted, with each appropriate for use within distinct information contexts: formal and informal.

Research limitations/implications

Librarians and information professional researchers should be playing a leading role in research aimed at assessing the efficacy of collaborative tagging in relation to information storage, organisation, and retrieval, and to influence the future development of collaborative tagging systems.

Practical implications

The paper indicates clear areas where digital libraries and repositories could innovate in order to better engage users with information.

Originality/value

At time of writing there were no literature reviews summarising the main contributions to the collaborative tagging research or debate.

Keywords

Citation

Macgregor, G. and McCulloch, E. (2006), "Collaborative tagging as a knowledge organisation and resource discovery tool", Library Review, Vol. 55 No. 5, pp. 291-300. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530610667558

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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