I am a cataloger, and I of course recognize the importance of controlled vocabulary, headings, and what not being used in a library's catalog and in between all libraries in general. However, I also understand the usefulness of more "natural language" tagging that is much used by the masses online at present. Many users appreciate this ability to tag whatever they want in a way helpful to them (often to others) that exists in manifold applications and settings. So it's not going away, and that's fine.
In a library, I think the power of patron tagging could be harnessed and enhance the access an institution provides to its information entities (a little MLS program lingo there for ya!). Given, the library's "regular" catalog would be maintained the same in this situation, but if patrons had the ability to have their own catalog as well (a "wiki" catalog, so to speak), they might find that helpful at times, as well. If patrons could group books and media together using whatever "informal" headings they choose, they may succeed in providing access in a way that the traditional "library way" is unable to.
Being able to have a "worst films ever" tag or "if you like this book/film you might also like these other titles" tag, under which headings patrons could add works of their choice, might prove to be very popular among a library's patronage. Of course, librarians could also formulate such lists themselves for local display, but allowing patrons to do so might give them more a feeling of inclusion and keep them more actively involved with their library than they otherwise might have been. But then again, with the limited resources/personnel of most library systems today, this may just belong to a potential public tag of "pipe dream ideas."
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