diff --git a/collects/scribble/base.rkt b/collects/scribble/base.rkt
index 9d8af190..c77425dd 100644
--- a/collects/scribble/base.rkt
+++ b/collects/scribble/base.rkt
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@
          "manual-struct.rkt"
          "decode-struct.rkt"
          "html-properties.rkt"
+         "tag.rkt"
          scheme/list
          scheme/class
          racket/contract/base
          racket/contract/combinator
-         setup/main-collects
          (for-syntax scheme/base))
 
+(provide (all-from-out "tag.rkt"))
+
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
 (define-syntax-rule (title-like-contract)
@@ -158,96 +160,6 @@
 
 ;; ----------------------------------------
 
-; XXX unknown contracts
-(provide intern-taglet
-         module-path-index->taglet
-         doc-prefix)
-(provide/contract
- [module-path-prefix->string (module-path? . -> . string?)])
-
-(require syntax/modcollapse
-         ;; Needed to normalize planet version numbers:
-         (only-in planet/resolver get-planet-module-path/pkg)
-         (only-in planet/private/data pkg-maj pkg-min))
-
-(define interned (make-weak-hash))
-  
-(define (intern-taglet v)
-  (let ([v (if (list? v)
-               (map intern-taglet v)
-               (datum-intern-literal v))])
-    (if (or (string? v)
-            (bytes? v)
-            (list? v))
-        (let ([b (hash-ref interned v #f)])
-          (if b
-              (or (weak-box-value b)
-                  ;; just in case the value is GCed before we extract it:
-                  (intern-taglet v))
-              (begin
-                (hash-set! interned v (make-weak-box v))
-                v)))
-        v)))
-
-(define (do-module-path-index->taglet mod)
-  ;; Derive the name from the module path:
-  (let ([p (collapse-module-path-index
-            mod
-            (lambda () (build-path (current-directory) "dummy")))])
-    (if (path? p)
-        ;; If we got a path back anyway, then it's best to use the resolved
-        ;; name; if the current directory has changed since we 
-        ;; the path-index was resolved, then p might not be right. Also,
-        ;; the resolved path might be a symbol instead of a path.
-        (let ([rp (resolved-module-path-name 
-                   (module-path-index-resolve mod))])
-          (if (path? rp)
-              (intern-taglet 
-               (path->main-collects-relative rp))
-              rp))
-        (let ([p (if (and (pair? p)
-                          (eq? (car p) 'planet))
-                     ;; Normalize planet verion number based on current
-                     ;; linking:
-                     (let-values ([(path pkg)
-                                   (get-planet-module-path/pkg p #f #f)])
-                       (list* 'planet
-                              (cadr p)
-                              (list (car (caddr p))
-                                    (cadr (caddr p))
-                                    (pkg-maj pkg)
-                                    (pkg-min pkg))
-                              (cdddr p)))
-                     ;; Otherwise the path is fully normalized:
-                     p)])
-          (intern-taglet p)))))
-
-(define collapsed (make-weak-hasheq))
-(define (module-path-index->taglet mod)
-  (or (hash-ref collapsed mod #f)
-      (let ([v (do-module-path-index->taglet mod)])
-        (hash-set! collapsed mod v)
-        v)))
-
-(define (module-path-prefix->string p)
-  (datum-intern-literal
-   (format "~a" (module-path-index->taglet (module-path-index-join p #f)))))
-
-(define doc-prefix
-  (case-lambda
-   [(doc s)
-    (if doc
-        (if (list? s)
-            (cons (module-path-prefix->string doc) s)
-            (list (module-path-prefix->string doc) s))
-        s)]
-   [(doc prefix s)
-    (doc-prefix doc (if prefix
-                        (append prefix (list s))
-                        s))]))
-
-;; ----------------------------------------
-
 (define (item? x) (an-item? x))
 
 (define recur-items/c
@@ -525,7 +437,7 @@
   (make-link-element (if u? #f "plainlink") (decode-content body) `(elem ,t)))
 
 (define (secref s #:underline? [u? #t] #:doc [doc #f] #:tag-prefixes [prefix #f])
-  (make-link-element (if u? #f "plainlink") null `(part ,(doc-prefix doc prefix s))))
+  (make-link-element (if u? #f "plainlink") null (make-section-tag s #:doc doc #:tag-prefixes prefix)))
 (define (Secref s #:underline? [u? #t] #:doc [doc #f] #:tag-prefixes [prefix #f])
   (let ([le (secref s #:underline? u? #:doc doc #:tag-prefixes prefix)])
     (make-link-element
diff --git a/collects/scribble/tag.rkt b/collects/scribble/tag.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3525d936
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/scribble/tag.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+#lang racket/base
+(require racket/contract/base
+         syntax/modcollapse
+         setup/main-collects
+         scribble/core
+         ;; Needed to normalize planet version numbers:
+         (only-in planet/resolver get-planet-module-path/pkg)
+         (only-in planet/private/data pkg-maj pkg-min))
+
+(provide
+ (contract-out
+  [make-section-tag ((string?) 
+                     (#:doc (or/c #f module-path?)
+                      #:tag-prefixes (or/c #f (listof string?)))
+                     . ->* .
+                     tag?)]
+  [taglet? (any/c . -> . boolean?)]
+  [module-path-prefix->string (module-path? . -> . string?)]
+  [module-path-index->taglet (module-path-index? . -> . taglet?)]
+  [intern-taglet (any/c . -> . any/c)]
+  [doc-prefix (case->
+               ((or/c #f module-path?) taglet? . -> . taglet?)
+               ((or/c #f module-path?) (or/c #f (listof string?)) taglet? . -> . taglet?))]))
+
+(define (make-section-tag s #:doc [doc #f] #:tag-prefixes [prefix #f])
+  `(part ,(doc-prefix doc prefix s)))
+
+(define (taglet? v)
+  (and (not (generated-tag? v))
+       (tag? (list 'something v))))
+
+(define interned (make-weak-hash))
+  
+(define (intern-taglet v)
+  (let ([v (if (list? v)
+               (map intern-taglet v)
+               (datum-intern-literal v))])
+    (if (or (string? v)
+            (bytes? v)
+            (list? v))
+        (let ([b (hash-ref interned v #f)])
+          (if b
+              (or (weak-box-value b)
+                  ;; just in case the value is GCed before we extract it:
+                  (intern-taglet v))
+              (begin
+                (hash-set! interned v (make-weak-box v))
+                v)))
+        v)))
+
+(define (do-module-path-index->taglet mod)
+  ;; Derive the name from the module path:
+  (let ([p (collapse-module-path-index
+            mod
+            (lambda () (build-path (current-directory) "dummy")))])
+    (if (path? p)
+        ;; If we got a path back anyway, then it's best to use the resolved
+        ;; name; if the current directory has changed since we 
+        ;; the path-index was resolved, then p might not be right. Also,
+        ;; the resolved path might be a symbol instead of a path.
+        (let ([rp (resolved-module-path-name 
+                   (module-path-index-resolve mod))])
+          (if (path? rp)
+              (intern-taglet 
+               (path->main-collects-relative rp))
+              rp))
+        (let ([p (if (and (pair? p)
+                          (eq? (car p) 'planet))
+                     ;; Normalize planet verion number based on current
+                     ;; linking:
+                     (let-values ([(path pkg)
+                                   (get-planet-module-path/pkg p #f #f)])
+                       (list* 'planet
+                              (cadr p)
+                              (list (car (caddr p))
+                                    (cadr (caddr p))
+                                    (pkg-maj pkg)
+                                    (pkg-min pkg))
+                              (cdddr p)))
+                     ;; Otherwise the path is fully normalized:
+                     p)])
+          (intern-taglet p)))))
+
+(define collapsed (make-weak-hasheq))
+(define (module-path-index->taglet mod)
+  (or (hash-ref collapsed mod #f)
+      (let ([v (do-module-path-index->taglet mod)])
+        (hash-set! collapsed mod v)
+        v)))
+
+(define (module-path-prefix->string p)
+  (datum-intern-literal
+   (format "~a" (module-path-index->taglet (module-path-index-join p #f)))))
+
+(define doc-prefix
+  (case-lambda
+   [(doc s)
+    (if doc
+        (if (list? s)
+            (cons (module-path-prefix->string doc) s)
+            (list (module-path-prefix->string doc) s))
+        s)]
+   [(doc prefix s)
+    (doc-prefix doc (if prefix
+                        (append prefix (if (list? s)
+                                           s
+                                           (list s)))
+                        s))]))
+
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/base.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/base.scrbl
index e21c4b75..73aa19e4 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/base.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/base.scrbl
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 @(define-syntax def-section-like
    (syntax-rules ()
      [(_ id result/c x ...)
-      (defproc (id [#:tag tag (or/c false/c string? (listof string?)) #f]
-                   [#:tag-prefix tag-prefix (or/c false/c string? module-path?) #f]
+      (defproc (id [#:tag tag (or/c #f string? (listof string?)) #f]
+                   [#:tag-prefix tag-prefix (or/c #f string? module-path?) #f]
                    [#:style style (or/c style? #f string? symbol? (listof symbol?)) #f]
                    [pre-content pre-content?] (... ...+))
         result/c
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ have @racketmodname[scribble/manual]).
 
 @section{Document Structure}
 
-@defproc[(title [#:tag tag (or/c false/c string? (listof string?)) #f]
-                [#:tag-prefix tag-prefix (or/c false/c string? module-path?) #f]
+@defproc[(title [#:tag tag (or/c #f string? (listof string?)) #f]
+                [#:tag-prefix tag-prefix (or/c #f string? module-path?) #f]
                 [#:style style (or/c style? #f string? symbol? (listof symbol?)) #f]
-                [#:version vers (or/c string? false/c) #f]
-                [#:date date (or/c string? false/c) #f]
+                [#:version vers (or/c string? #f) #f]
+                [#:date date (or/c string? #f) #f]
                 [pre-content pre-content?] ...+)
          title-decl?]{
 
@@ -470,8 +470,8 @@ Generates a literal hyperlinked URL.}
 
 
 @defproc[(secref [tag string?]
-                 [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? false/c) #f]
-                 [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) false/c) #f]
+                 [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? #f) #f]
+                 [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) #f) #f]
                  [#:underline? underline? any/c #t])
          element?]{
 
@@ -508,8 +508,8 @@ title after the section number. Customize the output (see
 
 
 @defproc[(Secref [tag string?]
-                 [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? false/c) #f]
-                 [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) false/c) #f]
+                 [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? #f) #f]
+                 [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) #f) #f]
                  [#:underline? underline? any/c #t])
          element?]{
 
@@ -518,8 +518,8 @@ with a word (e.g., ``section''), then the word is capitalized.}
 
 
 @defproc[(seclink [tag string?] 
-                  [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? false/c) #f]
-                  [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) false/c) #f]
+                  [#:doc module-path (or/c module-path? #f) #f]
+                  [#:tag-prefixes prefixes (or/c (listof string?) #f) #f]
                   [#:underline? underline? any/c #t]
                   [pre-content pre-content?] ...) element?]{
 
@@ -549,11 +549,6 @@ The tag @racket[t] refers to the content form of
 The @tech{decode}d @racket[pre-content] is hyperlinked to @racket[t],
 which is normally defined using @racket[elemtag].}
 
-@defproc[(module-path-prefix->string [mod-path module-path?]) string?]{
-
-Converts a module path to a string by resolving it to a path, and
-using @racket[path->main-collects-relative].}
-
 @; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 @section[#:tag "base-indexing"]{Indexing}
@@ -601,7 +596,7 @@ section by @racket[decode]. The @racket[word]s serve as both the keys
 and as the rendered forms of the keys within the index.}
 
 
-@defproc[(index-section [#:tag tag (or/c false/c string?) "doc-index"])
+@defproc[(index-section [#:tag tag (or/c #f string?) "doc-index"])
          part?]{
 
 Produces a part that shows the index the enclosing document. The
@@ -634,3 +629,11 @@ also the @racket['quiet] style of @racket[part] (i.e., in a
 @racket[part] structure, not supplied as the @racket[style] argument
 to @racket[local-table-of-contents]), which normally suppresses
 sub-part entries in a table of contents.}
+
+@; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@section{Tags}
+
+The exports of @racketmodname[scribble/tag] are all re-exported by
+@racketmodname[scribble/base].
+
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/core.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/core.scrbl
index 29b2e727..78560974 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/core.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/core.scrbl
@@ -259,6 +259,9 @@ full tag, where the symbol part is supplied automatically. For
 example, @racket[section] and @racket[secref] both accept a string
 ``tag'', where @racket['part] is implicit.
 
+The @racketmodname[scribble/tag] library provides functions for constructing
+@tech{tags}.
+
 @; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 @section[#:tag "style"]{Styles}
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/internals.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/internals.scrbl
index 05b52b04..7cf095bc 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/scribble/internals.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/internals.scrbl
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@
 @include-section["doclang.scrbl"]
 @include-section["docreader.scrbl"]
 @include-section["xref.scrbl"]
+@include-section["tag.scrbl"]
 @include-section["config.scrbl"]
 @include-section["racket.scrbl"]
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/scribble/tag.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/scribble/tag.scrbl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0d200a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/scribblings/scribble/tag.scrbl
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+#lang scribble/doc
+@(require scribble/manual "utils.rkt"
+          (for-label setup/main-collects))
+
+@title[#:tag "tag"]{Tag Utilities}
+
+@declare-exporting[scribble/tag scribble/base]
+
+@defmodule*/no-declare[(scribble/tag)]{The @racketmodname[scribble/tag]
+library provides utilities for constructing cross-reference
+@tech{tags}. The library is re-exported by
+@racketmodname[scribble/base].}
+
+@; ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@defproc[(make-section-tag [name string?]
+                           [#:doc doc-mod-path (or/c module-path? #f) #f]
+                           [#:tag-prefixes tag-prefixes (or/c #f (listof string?)) #f])
+         tag?]{
+
+Forms a @tech{tag} that refers to a section whose ``tag'' (as provided
+by the @racket[#:tag] argument to @racket[section], for example) is
+@racket[name]. If @racket[doc-mod-path] is provided, the @tech{tag}
+references a section in the document implemented by
+@racket[doc-mod-path] from outside the document. Additional tag
+prefixes (for intermediate sections, typically) can be provided as
+@racket[tag-prefixes].}
+
+
+@defproc[(taglet? [v any/c]) boolean?]{
+
+Returns @racket[#t] if @racket[v] is a @tech{taglet}, @racket[#f]
+otherwise.
+
+A @deftech{taglet} is a value that can be combined with a symbol via
+@racket[list] to form a @tech{tag}, but that is not a
+@racket[generated-tag]. A @tech{taglet} is therefore useful as a piece
+of a @tech{tag}, and specifically as a piece of a tag that can gain a
+prefix (e.g., to refer to a section of a document from outside the
+document).}
+
+
+@defproc*[([(doc-prefix [mod-path (or/c #f module-path?)] 
+                        [taglet taglet?])
+            taglet?]
+           [(doc-prefix [mod-path (or/c #f module-path?)]
+                        [extra-prefixes (or/c #f (listof taglet?))]
+                        [taglet taglet?])
+            taglet?])]{
+
+Converts part of a cross-reference @tech{tag} that would work within a
+document implemented by @racket[mod-path] to one that works from
+outside the document, assuming that @racket[mod-path] is not
+@racket[#f]. That is, @racket[mod-path] is converted to a
+@tech{taglet} and added as prefix to an existing @racket[taglet].
+
+If @racket[extra-prefixes] is provided, then its content is added as a
+extra prefix elements before the prefix for @racket[mod-path] is
+added. A @racket[#f] value for @racket[extra-prefixes] is equivalent
+to @racket['()].
+
+If @racket[mod-path] is @racket[#f], then @racket[taglet] is returned
+without a prefix (except adding @racket[extra-prefixes], if provided).}
+
+
+@defproc[(module-path-prefix->string [mod-path module-path?]) string?]{
+
+Converts a module path to a string by resolving it to a path, and
+using @racket[path->main-collects-relative].}
+
+@defproc[(module-path-index->taglet [mpi module-path-index?]) taglet?]{
+
+Converts a module path index to a @tech{taglet}---a normalized
+encoding of the path as an S-expression---that is interned via
+@racket[intern-taglet].
+
+The string form of the @tech{taglet} is used as prefix in a @tech{tag}
+to form cross-references into the document that is implemented by the
+module referenced by @racket[mpi].}
+
+@defproc[(intern-taglet [v any/c]) any/c]{
+
+Returns a value that is @racket[equal?] to @racket[v], where multiple
+calls to @racket[intern-taglet] for @racket[equal?] @racket[v]s
+produce the same (i.e., @racket[eq?]) value.}
+