How to Tag

Add tags to communicate with other volunteers and capture additional information about a page. Completed campaign tags are published as part of campaign datasets on loc.gov.

Register to tag

Tag, you're it! Anyone can tag; you just need to be a registered user. An account also allows you to review and to track your contributions on your profile page.

Add a tag

To add a tag, type a word or words in the Tags box at the bottom of any page. Separate tags with a comma or click “Add” after each.

Delete a tag

Delete a tag by clicking the X next to the text.

Tag recommendations

Add any tags you feel are appropriate, as long as they follow the Library’s comment policy. Here are some ways you may want to tag:

• It’s useful to tag with words that aren’t already included in the transcription text, since the transcriptions will already be searchable on loc.gov and as datasets.
• Keep tags short, but use whole words instead of abbreviations. This will make it easier for other people to understand and reuse your tag.
• Identify a document’s subject. For example, you may want to tag a page with the name of a social movement it describes.
• Note an interesting format. You may want to tag the language of a page, the type of document, or if it includes unique features like shorthand or cross-writing.
• If an important word like a name is spelled incorrectly in the original text, you can add a tag of the correct spelling.
• Sometimes writers use nicknames or code words. If you identify a full name or subject using context or research, you can add that tag.