# 13. Tagging, Folksomonies & Social Bookmarking in Delicious

Tagging is an open and informal method of categorizing that allows users to associate keywords with online content (web pages, pictures & posts). Unlike library subject cataloging, which follows a strict set of guidelines, tagging is completely unstructured and freeform, allowing users to create connections between data any way they want. If you were following the Library of Congress classifications you would have to use "automobile" but tagging allows you to use "car" or "hot rod."

In the past few weeks, we’ve already explored a few sites – Flickr and LibraryThing to name two – that allow users to take advantage of tagging. In week 3, many even used a common tag to create an association between photos that we individually uploaded. This week, let's take a look at the popular social bookmarking site called Delicious. Delicious, I don't know about you but the name makes me hungry!

Delicious is a social bookmarking manager that allows you to bookmark a web page and add tags to categorize your bookmarks.

Many users find that the real power of Delicious 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 user's filing cabinet, great for all the nosy people, trendwatchers, etc. without all that intrusiveness. 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 Delicious and learn about this popular bookmarking tool.

Discovery Resources:

Otter Group Delicious tutorial Otter (8 min video) - Highly recommended!!!

Us.ef.ul: A beginner's guide to Delicious

Several Habits of wildly successful Delicious users

Discovery Exercise:

View the 8-minute Delicious tutorial to get a good overview of its features.

Take a look around Delicious.

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?

OPTIONAL: If you’re up to the challenge, create a Delicious account for yourself and discover how this useful bookmarking tool can replace your traditional browser bookmark list.

Note: If you do setup a Delicious account, here’s a quick word about the Delicious Buttons. On PCs that have the toolbars locked down, these will install as options in your browser bookmarks. Use the “Post to my Delicious” link to add the current webpage to your account (you may need to log in). Use the “My Delicious” link to view your online account.