Documents by Topic: Standards, Guidelines, and Recommendations

This page includes three types of RUSA documents: Standards, Guidelines, and Recommendations. The RUSA Professional Resources Committee (PRC) provides oversight of the maintenance and development of these documents. For more details, see Chapter 4 of the RUSA Guide to Policies & Procedures.

Archived documents are available at the American Library Association Institutional Repository.

Information Literacy & Competencies by Discipline

Business Research Competencies (2019)

Financial Literacy Education in Libraries: Guidelines and Best Practices for Service (2023)

Information Literacy Guidelines and Competencies for Undergraduate History Students ​(PDF) (2013)

Reference/Information Services

Reference Toolkit

Definition of Reference (2021)
Guidelines for Behavioral Performance of Reference and Information Service Providers (2023)
Professional Competencies for Reference and User Services Librarians (2017)

Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services (PDF) (2017)

Guidelines for Business Information Responses (2022)

Guidelines for Cooperative Reference Services (2006)

Guidelines for the Introduction of Electronic Information Resources to Users (2006)


User Populations


Guidelines for Library Services to Older Adults (PDF) (2017)

Genealogy, History

RUSA Guidelines for Instruction in Genealogical Librarianship (2023)

RUSA Guidelines for Developing and Maintaining Genealogy and Local History Collections (2023)

Information Literacy Guidelines and Competencies for Undergraduate History Students (PDF) (2013)

Guidelines for Secondary Source Literacy for History (2023)

Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing (STARS)

RUSA Model Interlibrary Loan License Clause ​(2024)

Professional Competencies for Resource Sharing Practitioners (2024)

Guidelines for Resource Sharing Operations Management (November 2022)

Recommendations for Resource-Sharing Disaster Preparation and Response ​(PDF) (2021)

Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States With Explanatory Text (2023)

RUSA STARS' 5 Things Every New Resource Sharing Librarian Should Know (Are you new to Resource Sharing and Inter-library Loan? Check out these tips and resources put together by your colleagues!)

Collection Development

Reference Services Section

History Section

Business Reference & Services Section

  • Business Reference Essentials
    A guide to business reference content for new business librarians, and a refresher for seasoned professionals. Managed by the BRASS Education Committee.
  • Business Guides
    20+ more guides (beyond Business Reference Essentials) to useful free and fee-based resources, selected by the BRASS Education Committee.

Library Accessibility Toolkits: What You Need to Know