Scope of the Library Catalog in Times of Transition

There has been a flurry of constructive discussion and debate about the future of cataloging and the catalog, from Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Resource Description and Access (RDA) on cataloging rules (with a focus on content) to next-generation discovery interfaces for the catalog (with a focus on carrier). A topic that is not receiving as much attention in the midst of these discussions is the scope of the library catalog. This article offers an opinion on the scope of the catalog in a research library, and the role of the catalogers in this time of transition. The article will also elicit some practical approaches that catalogers can take to reposition the catalog for improved user-access and resource discovery.