Tagging, folksomonies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us

Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (webpages, pictures & posts). Unlike library subject cataloging, which follows a strict set of guidelines (i.e.Library of Congress subject headings), tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data anyway they want.

In the past few weeks, we’ve already explored a few sites – Flicker and LibraryThing to name two --that allow users to take advantage of tagging. This week, in addition to exploring Technorati tagging, we want to also take at popular social bookmarking site called Del.icio.us (typed in as http://del.icio.us/).

Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking manager which allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks.



Many users find that the real power of Del.icio.us is in the social network aspect, which allows you to see how other users have tagged similar links and also discover other websites that may be of interest to you. You can think of it as peering into another users’ filing cabinet, but with this powerful bookmarking tool each user's filing cabinet helps to build an expansive knowledge network.For this discovery exercise, you are asked to take a look at Del.icio.us and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.



Discovery Resources:
Otter Group Del.icio.us tutorial (8 min video) - Highly recommended!!!
Us.ef.ul: A beginners guide to Del.icio.us
Several Habits of wildly successful Del.icio.us users

Discovery Exercise:

View the 8 minute Del.icio.us tutorial to get a good overview of its features.


Take a look around Del.icio.us using the PLCMCL2 account that was created for this exercise. (We are using there account in the interest of time.)


Note: In this account you will find lots of resources that have been highlighted or used throughout the course of the Learning 2.0 program.


Explore the site options and try clicking on a bookmark that has also been bookmarked by a lot of other users. Can you see the comments they added about this bookmark or the tags that they used to categorize this reference?

Create a blog post about your experience and thoughts about this tool. Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?

Week 4: It's ALL about BOOKS, Seriously!

Books & Being Social

This week is all about social networking sites for books. You knew we would get there. We are a library. Did you really think I would leave out the books? We love to talk about what we have read, what we are reading, and what we plan on reading. It is time to take that discussion online.

And, I know I hear a groan coming, you will blog about 2 different things.

Discovery Resources:

About LibraryThing

How libraries are using LibraryThing

LibraryThing also has group forum for librarians

Take the LibraryThing tour

About Shelfari

Shelfari blog

Good Reads tour

Good Reads Blog

Discovery Exercise:

1. Follow the discovery resources above to learn more about one of the social networking sites for books.

2. Create a free account at one of these sites

• LibraryThing




• GoodReads




• Shelfari
  

3. Start getting social with books by placing at least 5 books on your virtual shelf.

4. Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list, play with one that interests you.

5. Blog about your shelf and the site you explored. Try to link to your shelf from your blog.

Don't forget someone will be in Reference next Wednesday for a questions and answer session and to help you.

Blog Suggestions
How do you think a library would use a social site for books? Which site did you explore? Did you have popular books? Did you write a review?