What is Loan Stars?
Loan Stars is the readers' advisory tool that allows libraries across Canada to indicate popular upcoming titles. Using LibraryData, the library data aggregation service, the forthcoming titles with the most orders become Loan Stars top picks! Along with Adult and Junior lists, Loan Stars periodically releases lists identifying the top-ordered Canadian-authored titles as well as genre-specific lists.
Eligibility Criteria
Unfortunately, not every book can become a Loan Stars pick. Eligible Loan Stars books must be:
publishing for the first time in the Canadian market — this excludes titles that have been previously published in a different format;
forthcoming — this means that the publishing status in the book's metadata must be set to "active" or "forthcoming" for the relevant Loan Stars months' list;
English-language;
on order at Canadian libraries; and
listed in BNC CataList.
The Loan Stars schedule
Adult List | Junior and Specialty Lists | Data Dates |
January & February 2023 pub dates | Junior January & February 2023 pub dates | December/January 2023 |
March 2023 pub dates | Specialty March pub dates — Canadian Adult | February 2023 |
April 2023 pub dates | Junior March & April pub dates | March 2023 |
May 2023 pub dates | Specialty May pub dates — Canadian Junior | April 2023 |
June 2023 pub dates | Junior May & June pub dates | May 2023 |
July 2023 pub dates | Specialty July pub dates | June 2023 |
August 2023 pub dates | Junior July & August pub dates | July 2023 |
September 2023 pub dates | Specialty September pub dates | August 2023 |
October 2023 pub dates | Junior September & October pub dates | September 2023 |
November 2023 pub dates | Specialty November pub dates | October 2023 |
December 2023 pub dates | Junior November & December pub dates | November 2023 |
Best of the Brightest — Books of the Year — December 2023 — Librarian Survey | ||
There are two core Loan Stars lists released during the year.
The Adult List includes Fiction and Non-Fiction titles with a future publication date, and ordered by libraries
The Adult lists are released every month in advance of the publication date, with the exception of the January/February list.
For example, the May list will be released during the first weeks of April.
The Junior list is intended for younger audiences, including Fiction and Non-Fiction picture books, middle grade, and Young Adult. For the Loan Stars Jr. list, the schedule operates slightly differently.
Loan Stars Jr. releases six lists per year, or one every two months, in advance of the second month’s publication dates
For example, the March/April list will be released during the first weeks of March.
Finally with LibraryData we will have the ability to produce specialty lists that will highlight titles by Canadian contributors, feature specific subjects, or focus on regional lists.