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STAR Checklist

Update Fall 2025

The STAR Checklist Version 2 (published in 2016) is undergoing a major update.
As you can imagine, best practices have changed in the 10 years since it was released.
We are also re-envisioning the way the checklist works to make it more adaptable to constant changes in the resource
sharing landscape. We are coming up with a new way to engage with the checklist not once, but again and again, to help libraries stay
on top of of emerging practices and stay invested in rethinking resource sharing.

Stay tuned for a new and improved checklist sometime in 2026!

About the STAR Checklist, 2011-2024

The STAR Checklist provides library staff with an opportunity to review and reflect on their resource sharing/interlibrary loan policies, procedures and services.

Update September 2024: The STAR Checklist has been temporarily removed while the Rethinking Resource Sharing Initiative works on reconvening after a hiatus and considers Checklist revisions. Please check back or look for announcements or updates in the future!

All libraries that submit the checklist and receive one to four stars will be emailed a certificate and letter of recognition which affirms a library’s commitment to rethinking resource sharing. These can be shared with your library administration to help demonstrate that you are keeping up with best practices in resource sharing.

The value of going through the checklist is to start conversations about what we can do, and what we should consider, as we set library information sharing policies. It is not expected that all items will be appropriate for all libraries. And, however many stars your library receives, we should all keep rethinking library resource sharing as libraries, user needs and the information world evolve.

1 STAR: Participating libraries that are score between 120 and 139 points are engaged in 60%+ of activities/initiatives/services/policies represented in the Checklist and qualify for one STAR.
2 STARS: 140-159 points reflect engagement in 70%+ of activities/ initiatives/services/policies represented in the Checklist and qualify for two STARS.
3 STARS: 160-179 points reflect engagement in 80%+ of activities/ initiatives/services/policies represented in the Checklist and qualify for three STARS.
4 STARS: 180+ points reflect engagement in 90%+ of activities/ initiatives/services/policies represented in the Checklist and qualify for four STARS.

We will not share your score with anyone. We may share aggregate information about what most libraries are, and are not, doing. And, if you agree, we can share your name on this site as a “Star” if you qualify for a certificate.

Thank you for using the Checklist…and please let us know if you have any questions at resourcesharingstar@gmail.com