How to organize approval rules for shared library hosts in 2026

Learn how shared library hosts can set clear approval rules for movie and show requests and keep the review process easy to follow.

By VLClean · 2026-10-25

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Shared library hosts can organize approval rules by agreeing who reviews requests, keeping the rules simple, and telling viewers how they hear whether a request was accepted.

Option	What it does for requests	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the shared library already has the movies and shows that viewers can watch, and decide which friends or family members should be able to send requests.

Prepare the titles or types of content that are allowed, so people know what kinds of requests fit the library. Keep the approval rules simple, such as whether people can ask for any title or only certain types of movies and shows.

Radarr and Sonarr are free helper programs that many library owners run to find and add movies (Radarr) and shows (Sonarr). Have them ready if they are part of the way requested titles are added to the library, and decide who will review requests before anything is added.

Agree on how people learn whether a request was approved, and who makes the final call when a title is not accepted.

Step by step

Approval rules work best when everyone sends requests the same way and knows who decides what gets added. Start with the steps below and adjust them to the way the library is managed.

Pick one place where friends and family will send requests, such as a request website or a shared message thread, and tell the friends and family who should be allowed to use only that place.

Write down who looks at each request and whether a title needs approval before it is added to the library, and who makes that call.

Set the approval rules as one short list: titles that pass at once, titles that need a second check, and titles that are never added.

Write a short note for viewers that says who can request, what kinds of titles are accepted, and how they will hear that a title was approved or added.

Send the note and the request location to the friends and family who should be allowed, with two lines on how to search for a title and how to submit it.

Look through new requests on a regular day each week, approve the ones to keep, and delete the rest.

Ask a few viewers after the first week what confused them, and edit the note and the approval rules to fix those points.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to the owner's Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

The Askarr site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1] Askarr also allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1]

Besides a request website, a request form or a shared request list can also be the place where viewers submit titles. No source facts were provided about these methods, so before choosing one check how it handles title searches, approvals, updates, and the way requests move into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the approval rules. Friends and family need to know what types of titles can be requested and who decides what gets added.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way movies and shows are added to the library. The approval process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the library.

Avoid forgetting to review requests after setup. A request list can become harder to manage if old or unwanted requests are left without attention.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can shared library hosts organize approval rules?

A shared library host can agree who reviews requests, keep the rules simple, and tell people how they hear whether a request was accepted. The important parts are giving viewers a clear place to request movies and shows and keeping the review process easy to follow.

Can a request tool work with approval rules and Radarr and Sonarr?

Check how each request tool handles Radarr and Sonarr before choosing one. Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr one time, and they then pick up your requests from it. ^[1]

Does Askarr require changes to the library server?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed on the library server. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

How do viewers find movies and shows to request with Askarr?

Friends and family can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and the owner's own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1]

What should be checked before choosing a request tool for a shared library?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr's plans include a request history with live status, which the source gives without naming a plan, so check the plan page for which ones include it. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the shared library is managed before choosing a request method.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)