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History

Prepared by the RUSA STARS Interlibrary Loan and Codes, Guidelines, and Technical Standards Committees, 2022-3. Approved by the RUSA STARS Executive Committee on June 12, 2024.

Purpose

While resource sharing operations vary from institution to institution, specialized information and skill sets are transferable and compose the general foundation of the profession. This expertise covers categories such as knowledge of consortial and reciprocal borrowing relationships, copyright, domestic and international resource sharing codes and policies, broad research skills, and communication skills with both patrons and other libraries. The Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) has created a set of professional competencies to use as general guidance for resource sharing practitioners. For each of the areas, a resource sharing practitioner is encouraged to know and to be able to employ these principles and techniques; however, not all competencies may apply to every position and can vary by organization type and circumstance. Practitioners should utilize the competencies to identify areas for further training as they work toward proficiency in the resource sharing field.

For the purposes of this document, library resource sharing, also known as interlibrary loan (ILL), is the process by which a library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library. See other definitions at the end of the document.

These guidelines define the professional competencies important for resource sharing practitioners for use in: the training of new staff, the preparation and review of position descriptions, resource sharing job applications, performance evaluations and goal setting, and/or the creation of a Library and Information Science (LIS) curriculum addressing skills and knowledge involved with resource sharing.

1.0 Resource Sharing Standards, Guidelines, and Applicable Law

1.1 Understand and apply the principles and protocols established in the ÂÜÀòÍøÊÓƵ’s (ALA) Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States with Explanatory Text.
1.2 Understand and apply the principles and guidelines established by the International Federation of Libraries Association (IFLA); and .
1.3 Understand and comply with the ÂÜÀòÍøÊÓƵCode of Ethics.
1.4 Understand and comply with U.S. copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code), particularly sections (also known as Fair Use), , , and .
1.5 Understand and apply the ACRL/RBMS Guidelines For Interlibrary And Exhibition Loan Of Special Collections Materials (Association of College & Research Libraries and Rare Books & Manuscripts Section).
1.6 Understand and follow if a resource sharing manager.

2.0 Facilitating Requests between Libraries

2.1 Be familiar with the ILL tools, systems, communication channels, and workflows used to facilitate requesting and supplying physical materials and electronic content between libraries.
2.2 Implement consortial and other reciprocal agreements into requesting and supplying workflows.
2.3 Be aware of the ILL terms in local electronic license agreements between one's library and a publisher or vendor in order to ascertain if licensed content can be shared or not.
2.4 Possess a familiarity with proper handling and packaging practices for different material formats as well as shipping options and workflows, including customs forms for international loans and consortial shipping requirements.

3.0 Search Skills

3.1 Have an understanding of library classification systems and searching strategies in order to conduct basic and advanced searching of the local catalog and discovery tools.
3.2 Be familiar with the physical collections and most commonly used databases at a practitioner's own library or institution.
3.3 Possess the ability to search databases, catalogs, indexes, and various websites in order to verify incomplete citations and locate potential suppliers for print or electronic content.
3.4 Be aware of openly available resources, including content found in institutional repositories, Open Access databases, and publisher websites.
3.5 Possess an attention to detail to obtain material that fills the user’s stated need (e.g., supplementary material, published versus preprint, edition and format).
3.6 Trace citations through various bibliographic references in order to track down the location of a source for challenging requests.
3.7 Possess a basic knowledge of citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
3.8 Read and assess bibliographic citations for accuracy and completeness.
3.9 Possess knowledge of various sources used in the verification of citations such as WorldCat, PubMed, and publishers’ sites.
3.10 Have a working knowledge of and other bibliographic record data, with a basic understanding of fields, subfields, and indicators. This knowledge includes, but is not limited to, locating important information such as title changes, the language of a resource, and format type.3
3.11 Be familiar with unique identifiers including, but not limited to, ISBN (International Standard Book Number), ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), DOI (Digital Object Identifier), PMID (PubMed Identifier), and OCLC Accession Number.
3.12 Be familiar with foreign language assistance resources for bibliographic verification (e.g. online tools or local expertise).

4.0 Technical Knowledge and Skills

4.1 Be familiar with the workflow of resource sharing within an Integrated Library System (ILS), Library Services Platform (LSP), ILL management system, and other software or cloud-based tools used to accomplish resource sharing work.
4.2 Understand the fundamentals of purchasing and acquisition of content such as purchase-on-demand workflows and the concept of “buy versus borrow.”
4.3 Be familiar with e-resources technical terms such as e-resource licensing, Open Access (OA), paywalls, and digital rights management (DRM) free content.

4.4 Maintain familiarity with scanning/digitization and microform equipment and software for creating, editing, and delivering files (e.g. PDFs).

4.5 Be aware of legacy (e.g. CD-ROMs, VHS, micro-opaque), current, and developing technologies and their applications within resource sharing guidelines.

5.0 Customer Service and Patron Privacy

5.1 Possess strong written and verbal communication skills for effectively communicating information such as resource sharing policies, invoices, request status, and troubleshooting.

5.2 Provide high-level customer service equitably to all library patrons regardless of communication method, accessibility needs, language background, etc.
5.3 Compile and use patron data responsibly under one's institutional or local data privacy provisions as well as state and federal law.
5.4 Anticipate and maintain awareness of evolving local patron needs and expectations.
5.5 Understand the resource sharing patron interface to guide users through the request process.
5.6 Practice thoughtful and concise communication with practitioners at other institutions.
5.7 Work respectfully with other libraries to resolve late, damaged, or lost materials.
5.8 Refer patrons to other appropriate library departments or specialists as needed.

6.0 Accessibility and Diversity

6.1 Practice values of diversity, inclusivity, and equity in services and collaborations.
6.2 Advocate for fiscal and ethical stewardship when considering or implementing patron fines, fees, and restrictions that may cause undue burden on users.
6.3 Be familiar with (WCAG) to ensure resource sharing web pages are fully accessible.
6.4 Be familiar with (the Chafee Amendment) of U.S. copyright law (Title 17, USC).
6.5 Possess the ability to create and verify accessible (i.e. machine readable) PDFs.

7.0 Financial Literacies

7.1 Understand cost-saving efficiencies including verifying local availability, reusing packing materials whenever possible, and following reciprocal relationship agreements.
7.2 Be aware of network-specific payment options such as and .
7.3 Be aware of international payment options such as .
7.4 Possess knowledge of procedures to submit invoices for payment at one’s institution and how to invoice other organizations for lost or damaged material.

Definitions

Consortial agreements: The arrangement formed by individual institutions to work as a group for a common purpose.

DRM-free: Free of digital rights management means a user has unlimited access to interact with digital content.

DOCLINE Electronic Funds Transfer System (EFTS): A transaction-based electronic billing system for resource sharing charges maintained by the Medical Library Association.

Document Delivery: A service delivering content such as articles, book chapters, and reports, typically in electronic format. May include fulfillment in-house or from commercial vendors.

IFLA Vouchers: A reusable plastic card that represents a standard payment amount for international transactions.

Interlibrary Loan: The process by which a library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library. Also sometimes called Document Delivery or Resource Sharing.

License: A legal agreement between a library and a provider of electronic materials.

OCLC Interlibrary Loan Fee Management (IFM) System: An electronic billing system that allows OCLC libraries to reconcile resource sharing charges and payments through their monthly OCLC invoice.

Open Access (OA): Online content that is free of cost and other barriers.

Paywalls: Content that a user encounters while searching online that asks for payment, usually through a publisher’s website.

Reciprocal Agreements: Relationships where libraries agree not to charge each other for items supplied.

Resource Sharing: An umbrella term for interlibrary loan/document delivery and other related services as defined by your library/institution.