ABSTRACT
Presenters and audience members coalesced around a vision of a special journal issue devoted to examining key concepts in cataloging and classification; in other words, getting “back to basics.” Greater awareness of ethical issues in cataloging work prompted a growing number of cataloging educators and practitioners to reexamine and work to improve standards and practices to better serve diverse user populations and increase diversity in the profession. Cataloging ethics is discussed in almost every article in this special issue, illustrating the growing importance of examining and addressing ethical issues in cataloging. The cataloging field is moving ever closer to a linked data environment, and it is on the cusp of implementing practices and standards that will fundamentally change cataloging in almost every way. The special issue is divided into two parts, organized around fundamental cataloging concepts, standards, and practices.
