Abstract: In order to annotate digital images that are presented for viewing in a plurality of organizational structures provided by different application programs run on a common operating system, a selected application program is opened, thereby selecting a particular organizational structure and displaying the digital images associated therewith according to a view provided by the organizational structure. Such organizational structures include hierarchical, time-line and album structures. An annotation routine is provided that operates as a layer of the operating system for listing potential labels that may be associated with a digital image. Because of its relationship to the operating system, the annotation routine is available concurrently with currently displayed images regardless of the application program that is currently open. Then a label is easily appended to a digital image appearing among the currently displayed images without having to open any application for that purpose.