Tags and subject headings in traditional catalogs

Richard Sassaman sent me a pointer to Ontology is Overrated: Links, Tags, and Post-hoc Metadata. I've adopted my response to him below.

Oh, yes!

I think Clay Shirky's observations and exposition of what's going on with regard to tags and classification are the most clear and insightful that I've seen.

A great essay based on the talk is here.

If I had to point to only one technically oriented source on the topic, that would be it.

For a less technical audiance my one best pointer is this.

A possible job implication: in 10 years there will many fewer jobs for professional, trained catalogers.

Unless:

1. The flood of information continues and we need both folksonomies and profressional catalogers to stay afloat
2. Professional catalogers figure out ways to add value to folksononmies.

Entrepreneurial opportunity: A folksonomy-based cataloging system for public libraries, possibly in partnership with del.icio.us and/or Amazon.

When will the first public library be cataloged with a folksonomy to the exclusion of traditional subject headings?

Care to make book on that?