While backlogs have existed in libraries the literature that describes them, the decline in the acquisition of physical collections relative to digital resources, as well as the availability of cataloging copy has called into question the continued viability and relevance of arrearages. Yet, at a time of economic restraint, a rethinking of library operations is timely, if not urgent. What does nearly sixty years of research tell us about materials that are removed from cataloguing workflow pending availability of a bibliographic record? This paper analyses the characteristics of, and reasons for, arrearages, and assesses approaches to reducing or eliminating backlogs.
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