Tagging and Folksonomies Brandy Jolly Heather Hunt Maura Funchion

Tagging The assignment of terms or keywords to objects, entities, etc. for classification and retrieval by users.

The assignment of terms or keywords to objects, entities, etc. for classification and retrieval by users.

Examples of tags for the item below might be…

Folksonomies: What Are They? “ A folksonomy is the result of personal free tagging of information and objects (anything with a URL) for one's own retrieval. The tagging is done in a social environment (shared and open to others). The act of tagging is done by the person consuming the information.” -Thomas Vander Wal

“ A folksonomy is the result of personal free tagging of information and objects (anything with a URL) for one's own retrieval. The tagging is done in a social environment (shared and open to others). The act of tagging is done by the person consuming the information.”

-Thomas Vander Wal

Narrow and Broad Folksonomies

Bibliography Dye, J. (2006, April). Folksonomy: A game of high-tech (and high-stakes) tag. EContent , 29 (3), 38-43. Guy, M., Tonkin, E. (2006, January). Folksonomies: Tidying up tags? D-Lib Magazine , 12 (1). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january06/guy/01guy.html . Peterson, E. (2006, November). Beneath the metadata: Some philosophical problems with folksonomy. D-Lib Magazine , 12 (11). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/november06/peterson/11peterson.html . Vander Wal, T. Folksonomy definition and wikipedia. Vanderwal.net. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http:// www.vanderwal.net/random/entrysel.php?blog =1750 . West, J. (2007, April/May). Subject headings 2.0: Folksonomies and tags. Library Media Connection , 25 (7), 58-59.

Dye, J. (2006, April). Folksonomy: A game of high-tech (and high-stakes) tag. EContent , 29 (3), 38-43.

Guy, M., Tonkin, E. (2006, January). Folksonomies: Tidying up tags? D-Lib Magazine , 12 (1). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january06/guy/01guy.html .

Peterson, E. (2006, November). Beneath the metadata: Some philosophical problems with folksonomy. D-Lib Magazine , 12 (11). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/november06/peterson/11peterson.html .

Vander Wal, T. Folksonomy definition and wikipedia. Vanderwal.net. Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http:// www.vanderwal.net/random/entrysel.php?blog =1750 .

West, J. (2007, April/May). Subject headings 2.0: Folksonomies and tags. Library Media Connection , 25 (7), 58-59.

Social Applications

www.Flickr.com A photo sharing and management site Create a profile, upload pictures and attach tags or descriptions to them Narrow taxonomy but can be used as a way to share information within a social construct

A photo sharing and management site

Create a profile, upload pictures and attach tags or descriptions to them

Narrow taxonomy but can be used as a way to share information within a social construct

Flickr Groups

www.Del.icio.us.com “ A social bookmarks manager. It allows you to easily add sites you like to your personal collection of links, to categorize those sites with keywords, and to share your collection not only between your own browsers and machines, but also with others” (Schachter, 2004).

“ A social bookmarks manager. It allows you to easily add sites you like to your personal collection of links, to categorize those sites with keywords, and to share your collection not only between your own browsers and machines, but also with others” (Schachter, 2004).

Limitations Synonym control How do we tag this? Mac, computer, apple, Macintosh, Macbook

Synonym control

How do we tag this?

Mac, computer, apple, Macintosh, Macbook

No hierarchal structure

No hierarchal structure

“ Social” Folksonomies are easy for people to participate in encourage natural language with room for subtleties include people in a community activity provide immediate feedback encourage serendipity with browsing create order where there was none before are inexpensive in a way that classification done by trained experts cannot be

are easy for people to participate in

encourage natural language with room for subtleties

include people in a community activity

provide immediate feedback

encourage serendipity with browsing

create order where there was none before

are inexpensive in a way that classification done by trained experts cannot be

Bibliography Flickr. November 11, 2007, from http://www.Flickr.com . Gordon-Murnane, L. (2006, June). Social bookmarking, folksonomies, and web 2.0 tools. Searcher , 14 (6), 26-38. Smith, G. Folksonomy: social classification. Atomiq. Retrieved October 23, 2007, from http://atomiq.org/archives/2004/08/folksonomy_social_classification.html . Schachter, J. (2004). Del.icio.us about page. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http:// del.icio.us /doc/about . Mathese, A. (2004). Folksonomies: Cooperative classification and communication through shared metadata. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http://www.adammathes.com/academic/computer-mediated-communication/folksonomies.html .

Bibliography

Flickr. November 11, 2007, from http://www.Flickr.com .

Gordon-Murnane, L. (2006, June). Social bookmarking, folksonomies, and web 2.0 tools. Searcher , 14 (6), 26-38.

Smith, G. Folksonomy: social classification. Atomiq. Retrieved October 23, 2007, from http://atomiq.org/archives/2004/08/folksonomy_social_classification.html .

Schachter, J. (2004). Del.icio.us about page. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http:// del.icio.us /doc/about .

Mathese, A. (2004). Folksonomies: Cooperative classification and communication through shared metadata. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . Retrieved November 10, 2007, from http://www.adammathes.com/academic/computer-mediated-communication/folksonomies.html .

Traditional Library Applications

Tagging Applications in the Library Setting GoodReads Social networking site Only books LibraryThing Personal cataloging service Only books LibraryThing for Libraries feature PennTags (University of Pennsylvania) Social bookmarking site Any item/object/document

GoodReads

Social networking site

Only books

LibraryThing

Personal cataloging service

Only books

LibraryThing for Libraries feature

PennTags (University of Pennsylvania)

Social bookmarking site

Any item/object/document

GoodReads “ It’s what your friends are reading!” Purpose: Social Networking Searches Amazon.com Searches any Amazon site (Japanese, German, etc.) Users define “shelves,” not tags

“ It’s what your friends are reading!”

Purpose: Social Networking

Searches Amazon.com

Searches any Amazon site (Japanese, German, etc.)

Users define “shelves,” not tags

LibraryThing “ Online service to help people catalog their books easily” Purpose: Personal cataloging service Searches other catalogs Library of Congress Any library catalog using Z39.50 protocol Users define tags for books

“ Online service to help people catalog their books easily”

Purpose: Personal cataloging service

Searches other catalogs

Library of Congress

Any library catalog using Z39.50 protocol

Users define tags for books

LibraryThing for Libraries Already in use at some the Danbury Library , among others Future features Library users can tag/recommend/review

Already in use at some the Danbury Library , among others

Future features

Library users can tag/recommend/review

PennTags “ Social bookmarking tool…for the Penn Community” Purpose: Bookmarking of URLs Users find & add resources Any URL Users define tags for URLs Approach is not library-centered

“ Social bookmarking tool…for the Penn Community”

Purpose: Bookmarking of URLs

Users find & add resources

Any URL

Users define tags for URLs

Approach is not library-centered

Folksonomies Emerge… Traditional subjects reaffirmed Traditional facets reaffirmed Time, space, etc. New descriptors emerge Personal accounts of items New representations of the traditional emerge Innovative combinations

Traditional subjects reaffirmed

Traditional facets reaffirmed

Time, space, etc.

New descriptors emerge

Personal accounts of items

New representations of the traditional emerge

Innovative combinations

Pros & Cons… Pros Dynamic User-defined Cons Unintelligible tags We’re not quite there yet

Pros

Dynamic

User-defined

Cons

Unintelligible tags

We’re not quite there yet

Bibliography GoodReads. (2007). About. Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.goodreads.com/about/us . Kroski, E. (2005). The hive mind: Folksonomies and user-based tagging. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from http://infotangle.blogsome.com/2005/12/07/the-hive-mind-folksonomies-and-user-based-tagging . LibraryThing. (2007). About. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://www.librarything.com/about . Shirky, C. (2005). Ontology is overrated: Categories, links, and tags. Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.shirky.com/writings/ontology_overrated.html . University of Pennsylvania. (2007). PennTags/help. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http:// tags.library.upenn.edu /help/ .

GoodReads. (2007). About. Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.goodreads.com/about/us .

Kroski, E. (2005). The hive mind: Folksonomies and user-based tagging. Retrieved October 12, 2007, from http://infotangle.blogsome.com/2005/12/07/the-hive-mind-folksonomies-and-user-based-tagging .

LibraryThing. (2007). About. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from http://www.librarything.com/about .

Shirky, C. (2005). Ontology is overrated: Categories, links, and tags. Retrieved November 3, 2007, from http://www.shirky.com/writings/ontology_overrated.html .

University of Pennsylvania. (2007). PennTags/help. Retrieved November 12, 2007, from http:// tags.library.upenn.edu /help/ .

Museum/Archival Applications

Museums: Mission To “build collections of objects and works of art that embody our cultural and natural heritage, to preserve and convey cultural meaning” Information about collections is often as important as the objects themselves

To “build collections of objects and works of art that embody our cultural and natural heritage, to preserve and convey cultural meaning”

Information about collections is often as important as the objects themselves

Museums: Traditional Forms of Communication Exhibitions Catalogs Publications Lectures Tours School programs

Exhibitions

Catalogs

Publications

Lectures

Tours

School programs

Museums: Traditional Websites Collections online are either: Highly authored and linear Isolated collection databases * both types are written by and for art historians

Collections online are either:

Highly authored and linear

Isolated collection databases

* both types are written by and for art historians

Museums: Traditional Description & Collection Management Curators describe: Physical nature of object Authorial role of its creator Temporal, cultural context of creation and ownership Scholarly significance of the work over time Collection managers record: Conservation, exhibition, loan, publication history Acquisition, storage information

Curators describe:

Physical nature of object

Authorial role of its creator

Temporal, cultural context of creation and ownership

Scholarly significance of the work over time

Collection managers record:

Conservation, exhibition, loan, publication history

Acquisition, storage information

Museums: Bridging the Semantic Gap Studies have shown that professional catalogers find basic description of visual elements difficult “ Everything I know isn’t in the picture!” - curator Documentation needs to represent multiple perspectives

Studies have shown that professional catalogers find basic description of visual elements difficult

“ Everything I know isn’t in the picture!” - curator

Documentation needs to represent multiple perspectives

Museums: Tagging Dialog between the viewer and the work, and between the viewer and the museum Encourages interpretation in relation to a personal narrative (sensemaking) Provides insight into visitors’ perceptions and what they judge as important/relevant Fills semantic and documentation gaps Serves altruistic purpose of museums

Dialog between the viewer and the work, and between the viewer and the museum

Encourages interpretation in relation to a personal narrative (sensemaking)

Provides insight into visitors’ perceptions and what they judge as important/relevant

Fills semantic and documentation gaps

Serves altruistic purpose of museums

Museum Folksonomies: steve.museum Collaborative research project (launched in 2005) that explores the potential for tagging to improve access to museum collections and encourage engagement with cultural content Collaborate to develop a shared open-source tool that enables the collection of user terminology and facilitates its analysis

Collaborative research project (launched in 2005) that explores the potential for tagging to improve access to museum collections and encourage engagement with cultural content

Collaborate to develop a shared open-source tool that enables the collection of user terminology and facilitates its analysis

steve.museum: Contributors Denver Art Museum Guggenheim Museum The Cleveland Museum of Art Indianapolis Museum of Art Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art Minneapolis Institute of Arts The Rubin Museum of Art San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Archives & Museum Informatics Think Design

Denver Art Museum

Guggenheim Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The Rubin Museum of Art

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Archives & Museum Informatics

Think Design

steve.museum: Goals Participants plan to integrate contributed data into local documentation systems to improve access Data will either be kept in separate local systems or integrated into collections management systems Maintaining the source of terms will be critical for evaluating the effectiveness of tagging

Participants plan to integrate contributed data into local documentation systems to improve access

Data will either be kept in separate local systems or integrated into collections management systems

Maintaining the source of terms will be critical for evaluating the effectiveness of tagging

steve.museum: Tagging http:// tagger.steve.museum/steve.php?task = loginController_loginPage

http:// tagger.steve.museum/steve.php?task = loginController_loginPage

Proof of Concept Museum cataloging Artist/Maker: Joachim Friess, ca. 1579-1610 Title: Diana and the Stag Object Name: Automaton Date: First quarter 17 th c. (ca 1620) Culture: German (Augsburg) Made in: Augsburg, Germany Medium: Silver, partly gilt, jewels, enamel Classification: Metalwork-Silver Dimensions: 14 ¾ x 9 ½ in. (37.5 x 24.1 cm) Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Museum cataloging

Artist/Maker: Joachim Friess, ca. 1579-1610

Title: Diana and the Stag

Object Name: Automaton

Date: First quarter 17 th c. (ca 1620)

Culture: German (Augsburg)

Made in: Augsburg, Germany

Medium: Silver, partly gilt, jewels, enamel

Classification: Metalwork-Silver

Dimensions: 14 ¾ x 9 ½ in. (37.5 x 24.1 cm)

Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917

Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Proof of Concept: Results User-supplied terms examples: archery bejeweled jumping nude antler figurative saddle ornate horse clockwork rearing woman bridle arrow luxury dog/dogs

User-supplied terms examples:

archery bejeweled

jumping nude

antler figurative

saddle ornate

horse clockwork

rearing woman

bridle arrow

luxury dog/dogs

steve.museum: Interface Needs Tools that motivate users to tag, guide them through the process, and reward them when done “ Stickiness”: enticing users to spend time in the system and return for additional sessions

Tools that motivate users to tag, guide them through the process, and reward them when done

“ Stickiness”: enticing users to spend time in the system and return for additional sessions

Museum Folksonomies: Examples The Cleveland Museum of Art “ Help others find me” tool http:// www.clevelandart.org/index.html Powerhouse Museum (Sydney, Australia) “ Add keywords” tool http:// www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/inspired.asp Smithsonian Photography Initiative “ Enter the Frame” tool http:// photography.si.edu/Exhibitions.aspx (tags immediately visible to user; added to database after a professional has reviewed them)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

“ Help others find me” tool

http:// www.clevelandart.org/index.html

Powerhouse Museum (Sydney, Australia)

“ Add keywords” tool

http:// www.powerhousemuseum.com/exhibitions/inspired.asp

Smithsonian Photography Initiative

“ Enter the Frame” tool

http:// photography.si.edu/Exhibitions.aspx

(tags immediately visible to user; added to database after a professional has reviewed them)

Museum Folksonomies: Issues Tagging tools should be: highly visible/accessible on museum websites simple to use (no complicated or lengthy instructions) consistent in design be available for all works in a collection, ideally

Tagging tools should be:

highly visible/accessible on museum websites

simple to use (no complicated or lengthy instructions)

consistent in design

be available for all works in a collection, ideally

Bibliography Bearman, D., Trant J. (2005, September). Social terminology enhancement through vernacular engagement: Exploring collaborative annotation to encourage interaction with museum collections. D-Lib Magazine , 11 (9). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://cca.guggenheim.org/static/reference/dlib-steve-0509preprint.pdf . Chun, S., Cherry, R., Hiwiller, D., Trant, J., Wyman, B. (2006). Steve.museum: An ongoing experiment in social tagging, folksonomy, and museums. Museums and the Web 2006. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/papers/wyman/wyman.html . O’Connell, P. (2007, March 28). One picture, 1,000 tags. The New York Times . Retrieved October 20, 2007 from http:// www.nytimes.com . Trant, J. Exploring the potential for social tagging and folksonomy in art museums: Proof of concept. New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia . Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.steve.museum/index.php?option= com_weblinks&task = view&catid =35&id=37 . Trant, J. (2006, November 4). Social classification and folksonomy in art museums: Early data from the steve.museum tagger prototype. ASIST-CR Social Classification Workshop. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.archimuse.com/papers/asist-CR-steve-0611.pdf . Trant, J., Wyman, B. (2006). Investigating social tagging and folksonomy in art museums with steve.museum. Tagging Workshop, World Wide Web 2006. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.steve.museum/static/reference/www2006-tagging-steve.pdf .

Bearman, D., Trant J. (2005, September). Social terminology enhancement through vernacular engagement: Exploring collaborative annotation to encourage interaction with museum collections. D-Lib Magazine , 11 (9). Retrieved October 8, 2007, from http://cca.guggenheim.org/static/reference/dlib-steve-0509preprint.pdf .

Chun, S., Cherry, R., Hiwiller, D., Trant, J., Wyman, B. (2006). Steve.museum: An ongoing experiment in social tagging, folksonomy, and museums. Museums and the Web 2006. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.archimuse.com/mw2006/papers/wyman/wyman.html .

O’Connell, P. (2007, March 28). One picture, 1,000 tags. The New York Times . Retrieved October 20, 2007 from http:// www.nytimes.com .

Trant, J. Exploring the potential for social tagging and folksonomy in art museums: Proof of concept. New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia . Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.steve.museum/index.php?option= com_weblinks&task = view&catid =35&id=37 .

Trant, J. (2006, November 4). Social classification and folksonomy in art museums: Early data from the steve.museum tagger prototype. ASIST-CR Social Classification Workshop. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from

http://www.archimuse.com/papers/asist-CR-steve-0611.pdf .

Trant, J., Wyman, B. (2006). Investigating social tagging and folksonomy in art museums with steve.museum. Tagging Workshop, World Wide Web 2006. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.steve.museum/static/reference/www2006-tagging-steve.pdf .