ABSTRACT
Abbott’s (1988) The System of Professions theory is used to understand how technology has changed cataloging work in academic libraries, and if the functional future of bibliographic control could change cataloging work. Abbott says technology can destroy and create professional work. Technology has somewhat destroyed professional cataloging work by enabling more efficient cataloging processes. Professional cataloging work has been passed to nonprofessional staff and vendors. The Web has created new forms of metadata work, but catalogers and metadata librarians may be competing for it. Cataloging must claim new work to survive.
