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

User tagging services are underused in cultural heritage institutions despite their availability for over a decade. This study considers seven years of user tags from university and public institutions by comparing tagging service usage between institution types and qualitatively analyzing a selection of tags from the University of Illinois. Researchers found that overall, few users tag items in online catalogs, but those tags that are being created are largely descriptive in nature, indicating the potential to improve discoverability for underdescribed materials, e.g., lack of subject headings. With improved education on their use and purpose, tagging and annotation services can become important resources for cultural heritage institutions.