Cataloging Modern Greek Materials in Practice: Challenges and Limitations of the ALA-LC Romanization Table

This article examines the cataloging challenges of applying the ALA-LC Romanization Table to Modern Greek in shared cataloging environments in the United States. Drawing on the author’s cataloging experience and examples from OCLC records and Library of Congress authority data, it demonstrates how phonetic variation, historical forms, orthographic and grammatical features, and mixed diacritical systems complicate consistent romanization. The article evaluates commonly used transliteration tools and highlights discrepancies between ALA–LC and non‑English cataloging standards. It concludes with practical recommendations for improving cataloging workflows and proposes targeted revisions to the ALA–LC table to better support accurate representation of Modern Greek in bibliographic and authority records.