Thing 21 Flickr and tagging

This next task has us look into Flickr and focus on the tagging side of it. It's just read some (boring) articles, think about it, and write on it. Details here:

http://vbpl2point0.blogspot.com/2007/12/thing-21-learn-how-tags-are-essential.html

Questions to think about this time: how is Flicker different from other photo sharing sites? Why is tagging important? What does it allow users to do? How does community develop on Flickr?


I don't know about other photo sharing sites or older ones, but I doubt they had such a social and interactive aspect (comment on specific photos) or subscriptions or tagging. Not only can people upload photos, people can share this with others by tagging, so other people with interests in the same subjects can search for them. Tags let you find photos of something you're interested in that you might not know were online. The interaction allows different people to connect through an interest in photos. People can even add tags that could describe your picture and help it be found that much more. See who else has the same interests and, if their work interests you, look at other pictures they have or even other users they subscribe to.

The articles I read seem quite positive about the use of Flickr and photosharing sites. It's always a way to promote with pictures the library and the different services it offers (be it materials, programs, organizations). Pictures have an attention-getting visual impact the way a brief article or program blurb just cannot match. Especially with tags, people can stumble across library pictures by browsing.

A concern that never got brought up was people put pictures on Flickr because they want it to be found, but what about a library putting up pictures to be found? I have found several Flickr albums of libraries and was surprised that they were so relaxed about putting children's pictures up. I understand about inanimate aspects, such as the building itself, displays, but what about programs with people in it, especially kids. They are wonderful for marketing, but it's a big deal putting someone's kid's picture on the internet, especially with name and location (I don't mind posting pictures, like on myspace and facebook, that only friends can look at, but I don't want just anyone finding or stumbling across my pictures). Plus, tagging's great, but I don't usually like to tag my pictures with people's names because I'm not going to make it easy for just anyone or stranger find them by a name search. I don't mind sharing (and neither do my friends, usually), but I want to be discreet.