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:
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