**NSW Readers' Advisory Working Group meeting minutes

Chatswood Library (Willoughby Library Service), 26 November 2019**

Chair: Monique Akauola

Minutes: Eric Dodson    

**1.	Apologies**

Ellen Forsyth (State Library)

Amy Heap (Wagga)

Christiane Birkett (Gunnedah)
Robyn Menzies (Hawkesbury)

**2.	Attendance**

Monique Akauola- Sutherland

Eric Dodson – Lane Cove

Suzanne Micallef - Parramatta

Renee Fittler -Mosman

Joanna Kondaxis – Inner West Council

Suzy Small – Burwood

Louise Quirk – Waverley

Taryn Khamlu – Hornsby

Anneta Argeitis – Hornsby

Simon Welsh – Waverley

Michael Selby – Randwick

Linda Christie – Sutherland

Suzanne Spencer – Northern Beaches

Nicki Fox – Northern Beaches

Janelle Collins – Central Coast

Shazia Iftikhar – Canterbury-Bankstown

Sharon Muscat – Hills Shire

Abir El-Lahib – City of Sydney

Cheryl Woodward - Willoughby

**3.	Linda Christie (Sutherland) Staff Picks presentation**

  * An avid reader and became go to staff member for suggested reading.
  * Originally a large display table was used with new fiction and non-fiction displayed. This became a main source for borrowers leaving shelf titles ignored.
  * Based on retail ideas used “Shelf talker” idea to highlight staff favourites, especially titles not recently published to encourage movement of shelf stock.
  * Simple bookmark with staff member name & brief description and why they like it, inserted in the book.
  * Keep it simple to overcome barriers and make it easy for staff to participate.
  * Quickly became a popular scheme giving users an in road to shelf stock.
  * Found it easier to institute at branch Library in terms of space and positioning.
  * Created Staff picks poster to alert library clients on this initiative.
  * The Staff Picks' book marks are reused when the books returned. Sutherland library has large collection of filled book marks, and the extra are filed in a folder under the title.
  * Tagged items in catalogue so items are flagged for staff on return.
  * Especially popular leading up to holidays.
  * Some Libraries had tried similar scheme but found it hard to engage and involve staff in the process.
  * Possibly could include RA component in staff meetings.
  * Christie introducing Staff picks book marks at each of the branches. And discovered that the layout & location of display is as important. 
  * Samples of Staff reviews were shared and variety of styles work. From simple three words review, to few sentences review.
  * Library clients are curious and like personal feedback on what the library staff are reading


**4.	Shazia Iftikhar (Canterbury-Bankstown) Reading Hour promotion**

  * “Reading Corner” displays to highlight less used resources.
  * Provided a space with chairs for users and promotional material with books to select from.
  * Two photo competitions ran for staff and borrowers to take reading/book related pictures. Asked for consent to display with promo and combined with Facebook posts.
  * Involved local shop keepers with a guessing competition. Photos of shop keepers reading in their shop and borrowers to match with the participating shop.
**
5.	Monique Akauola (Sutherland) Oracle Reading Card promotion**

Launched for Reading Hour, combining the oracle/tarot card idea with Readers’ Advisory. Designed a set of oracle cards with literature genres. 
Borrowers can rely on serendipity and pick a card for the pack of 65 cards or select a genre they are comfortable with by looking through the pack.
Each card related to a suggested reading list of around 20 titles. eg. Witchy Reads
Cards were designed in publisher and a producer sourced online for around $50 per deck with a box to hold the cards.

**6.	Anneta Argeitis (Hornsby) “Quick Choice” collection**

Retail based idea, face out shelving for seven catagories:
  * Australian Authors
  * Crime/Thriller
  * Top Choice
  * Award Winners
  * Staff Picks
  * Must Read (Modern Classics/Classics)
  * Interesting (Non-fiction)
  * 
To make it easy for time poor borrowers to find a popular & classic titles.
Books are purchased, stickered and tagged specifically for this collection.
Loan periods the same as regular collection but facilitating easy browsing.

**7.	Renee Fittler (Mosman) RA Displays**

To activate an odd space in the Library installed a display stand with rotating themes such as:

  * Banned Books: controversial or restricted titles from Australia and around the world
  * Halloween Horror: highlight gateway titles to draw new readers
  * Sci-Fi/Fantasy: again using lighter titles and known authors to draw interest and highlight different aspects of the genre

**8.	Suzy Small (Burwood) Digital Resources displays**

  * Approaching renovation closure Burwood is especially keen to promote off site access through the use of digital resources
  * Utilising the main display areas with sections for each resource, including Bolinda Borrow Box & Overdrive eBooks and eAudio, RBDigital eMgazines & Beamafilm.
  * Tie in promotion with tech help sessions and opportunities in the Library

**9.	Social Media for Readers’ Advisory**

  * Suzy Small (Burwood) highlighted use of Instagram. Using a daily countdown to their library closure using titles with numbers in them making it a fun reminder with RA tie in
  * Posts short synopsis with post. More text heavy posts usually go on Facebook.
  * Important to post daily, be consistent and be aware of timing posts
  * Have found to have mainly Library world followers more than local residents
  * Renee Fittler (Mosman) also explained their system of two staff who post events and promotion but also bringing an RA element to the content.
  * “Bookface Friday” or theme posts can be effective
  * Staff picks promotion though posts including a brief description and standard hashtags
  * Bibliotherapy event utilised RA crossover in promotion 
  * Both libraries are using Instagram, Facebook & Twitter but tend to divide content depending on what the intention is. Event promotion, RA posts and visual content all suiting different platforms
  * 
**10.	Suzanne Micallef (Parramatta) “Parrapods” Podcast on Podbean**

  * Parramatta’s Library podcast covers a diverse range of topics with 23 podcasts recorded with 923 downloads so far in the first year https://parralibrary.podbean.com/
  * Podbean was chosen as the platform due to diverse compatibility 
  * Podcasts are recorded every two weeks, taking 1-2 hours, with some editing required
  * Background noise has proven to be an issue when recording so they are trying to find places to record which are as quiet as possible
  * The podcast is promoted on Facebook & Twitter as well as being embedded as a blog post
  * Book discussed on the podcast are listed with the synopsis each podcast and a strong RA content is part of each program

**11.	What have you been reading?**

//Vodka & Apple Juice// by Jay Martin

//Minute Mile// by David Baldacci

//Less// by Andrew Sean Greer

//Matthew Flinders’ Cat// by Bryce Courtenay

//Growth of the Soil// by Knut Hansen

//Serotonin// by Michel Houellebecq

//Texaco// by Patrick Chamoiseau

//The Testaments// by Margaret Atwood

//Nursery// by Asia Mackay

//The Starless Sea// by Erin Morgenstern

//The Dutch House// by Ann Patchett

//Summer of ‘69// by Elin Hilderbrand

//The Trauma Cleaner// by Sarah Krasnostein

//Death of Jesus// by J.M. Coetzee

//Book of Dust// by Phillip Pullman

//House of Salt & Sorrow// by Erin Craig

**12.	Points of Communication**

  * Staff Picks selections: use of retail ideas and fostering connections between staff and borrowers
  * Social Media Discussion: a number of Libraries with access to a variety of social media platform explained their usage of these digital tools
  * RA Displays/Promotions: a variety of methosd and tools being used and developed by libraries to facilitate access to collections and highlight meterials 


**13.	Planning for 2020: topics for discussion**

*Readers’ Advisory Promotions

*Staff Engagement with RA

*Book Clubs: how to, best practice, challenges, models

*CALD Readers’ Advisory

*Graphic Novels: advisory, collection management, Non-Fiction

*International Libraries/Spaces: thinking outside the box

*Self Published (Indy Reads)

**14.	Save the date:**

Readers’ Advisory Seminar, 19th March, 2020 at the State Library of NSW

Next meeting will be at Mudgee Library, Tuesday 19 May, 2020