Joshua Stengel

Today it ends...I have explained, for the last time, why "the fonts are all screwed up".  My tag clouds are coming down. Since we added a social networking site to our web services about a year ago, I been answering this question quite regularly and have staunchly supported the tag cloud as a new way to look at topics on the site.  The problem? After over a year, my users are no closer to understanding this visual concept than they ever were. 

Not only that, this morning I came to the self-realization that I don't even use tag clouds.  Nope.  Can't recall a single instance.  I look at them and admire all the pretty words, but I can't think of a single time I've every used them.  How can I expect my users to use them if I don't even use them?

So, the next question I asked myself was, "Self, why don't you use tags?"

Most tag clouds increase the font size for tags that are used more frequently.  This is useful if you are looking at a new blog and want to get a sense of the general focus of the blog.  Other than that, what's the point?

My experience has been that people expect the larger tags in the tag cloud to represent the most interesting or most important items.  That means, to make a tag cloud useful, it would need to incorporate views, ratings, comments, etc.  I suppose some kind of algorithm could be used to improve the value of a tag cloud, but would it ever answer the burning question, "Why are the fonts all screwed up?"

If you are looking for some good fodder for your next "big idea" meeting, take a look at this report.  Lots of meaty statistics from a reliable and quotable source. The report is focused for libraries, but is very broad and includes data from six countries.  The report is free to download or you can buy the print version.

"Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World" - from the OCLC

The practice of using a social network to establish and enhance relationships based on some common ground—shared interests, related skills, or a common geographic location—is as old as human societies, but social networking has flourished due to the ease of connecting on the Web. This OCLC membership report explores this web of social participation and cooperation on the Internet and how it may impact the library’s role, including:

• The use of social networking, social media, commercial and library services on the Web
• How and what users and librarians share on the Web and their attitudes toward related privacy issues
• Opinions on privacy online
• Libraries’ current and future roles in social networking

The report is based on a survey (by Harris Interactive on behalf of OCLC) of the general public from six countries—Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States—and of library directors from the U.S. The research provides insights into the values and social-networking habits of library users.

http://www.oclc.org/reports/sharing/