**Working Group on Multicultural Services (NSW) 9:30- Thursday the 20th of August 2015 Ashfield Library**

__Apologies:__ Vicki O’Rourke, Kathleen Allen and Wendi Gindi

__Guest Speaker: Karen Dwarte – Collection Management Team Leader__ Karen welcomed the group to the library. Earlier this year Ashfield library launched their Nepalese collection which was well received by their patrons.

Ashfield is hosting a comic conversation event – this is being rolled out across 6 public libraries across Sydney and will include comic creators, workshops and art exhibitions.

__Guest Speaker: Kemal Serdar- Conversation classes__ This presentation was held over

__Guest Speaker: Ian Koh-Multicultural Gambling Services NSW Problem Gambling__ Ian Kohn from Multicultural Gambling Services (MGS) NSW is part of NSW Health, and therefore is a State wide service. MGS provides advice to people and their families who are experiencing gambling problems. Gambling is a hidden addiction with 70% of Australians gambling however approximately 2% of this group develop problem gambling. Problem gambling affects individuals, families and the community. CALD communities are at risk due to several factors including adjustment or settlement issues, loss of social support, luck and superstition and lack of experience in relation to gambling and they have positive expectations about gambling. Seminars and information sessions can be held in libraries to promote the services offered by Gambling NSW, including financial literacy courses for newly arrived individuals. Please contact Ian for more information. Ian.koh@health.nsw.gov.au

__Business arising from the previous minutes__

The minutes were accepted by Pauline Chan and seconded by Kasia Malicka

__Working Group Meeting__ Laurence spoke to John Cumberford at Bathurst Library about hosting a future working group meeting there. Bathurst was chosen as it’s accessible by train and is a high user of multicultural bulk loans. This has been put on hold until the review of the working groups has been finalised. Laurence reported that he attended a meeting to discuss the future of working groups and it was decided that there would be a regular forum to discuss the format of the working groups and the standards and terms of reference. Some working groups may be merged eg Literacy and Multicultural working groups however a decision on this will be made later this year.

__Strategic Plan__

Objective 1 Strategy 1 - Ageing: Pauline Chan advised that there are a lot of resources available particularly on a local level therefore this outcome is no longer relevant so it was decided to close it.

The current 2012-2016 Strategic Plan also requires reviewing as it expires at the end of 2016

Oriana suggested reviewing the benchmarking that were put in place several years ago. Laurence McDonnell, Wendy Ford and Oriana Acevedo will meet to discuss the benchmarks and aim to complete this by the end of October 2015. Action: Oriana will send a copy of the benchmarking report to the group. She has offered to assist libraries one on one with their own benchmarks

__Chinese Online__ The idea of “Chinese Online” was to provide libraries with resources for their Chinese communities. Winnie Lee at Auburn found over 400 online resources. These link were put onto a memory stick and distributed to libraries where they were encouraged to download these records onto their library catalogues. Auburn will be maintain the links and will remove them if they are broken. Bankstown Library reported that this resource is working well. Oriana has suggested promoting this service however not every library is able to load these records onto their catalogue at this time.

__Multicultural banners__ The original banners “discover a whole new world” are now quite dated and new ones need to be made. Electronic signage will be available. Action: Shauna to get some quotes on the cost of producing banners create banners

__ESL/ Literacy selection day__ This will be held on Friday the 4th of Sept in the Dixson Room, State Library of NSW. If you wish to attend please email your RSVP to Shauna Miller. Shauna.miller@sl.nsw.gov.ay Action: Shauna to send core list of literacy titles to libraries.

__Tech Savvy Seniors__ Public libraries have been running these courses which have proved to be very popular. Feedback included: • offering longer training courses which would cover more information • offering better translated material • what languages will the next series of Tech Savvy Seniors be offered in – Greek, Spanish or Italian.

Oriana will send an expression of interest to libraries to ascertain which libraries want to book training. Please note there is a limit of 10 people able to attend per session.

__Multicultural Awards 2015__ There are 2 categories for this award – Individual and Organisation. Libraries are encouraged to enter. Winners will be announced at the Switch Conference on the 17th of November The other award libraries should consider entering is the NSW Multicultural Marketing Award. For more information go to http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/awards_and_events/amma/award_categories

__Bulk Loan Service__ The State Library want to increase the use of both their multicultural, large print and audio books. Some of the larger collections may be partially offered to libraries on extended loan for six – twelve months.

__State Library Slovakian Collection__ Due to the reduction of loans in this collection it has been decided to withdraw it. Other languages are being considered for withdrawal

__2015 Selection Day- Feedback__ The selection days were reduced to one day which hosted Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. It was a successful day with over 15 libraries attending.

__Multicultural Cooperative Acquisition Models__ There are 3 options libraries can opt for if they wish to purchase LOTE material through the State Library. 1. Libraries can send a selection profile to the Cooperative who will select material on their behalf. This material will also be sent for cataloguing and end processing. The Cooperative will monitor the budget and ensure it is not overspent 2. Libraries can attend selection days and choose material for their collections. This material will be shipped to the Cooperative for verification then sent to Zenith for cataloguing and end processing. Libraries will be responsible for monitoring their budgets. 3. Libraries can attend selection days and choose material for their collections however they will be responsible for monitoring their budgets. This material will be shipped to the Cooperative for verification but then sent to the library for cataloguing etc.

New Proposal for LOTE purchasing 2016 financial year Based on the successful Standing Order Trial 2014/15 which was held earlier this year Oriana suggested that a minimum of 10 libraries commit to join a new Standing Order Program in early 2016. Based on the earlier trial there will be strict rules about budgets, languages, and suppliers etc.

__Other Business__
Election of Officer Bearers. New office bearers will have to be elected at the AGM on the 26th of November. Both the current Chair and Secretary will be standing down. Members of the working group should consider taking up one of these positions.

Next meeting: 26th of November, State Library of NSW