Therese Scott (Inner West), Helen Cowen (Wingecarribee), Kathy Tritsaris (City of Sydney), Emma Buttigieg (Strathfield), Renata Rekiel (Bankstown), Jenny Sherlock (Bankstown), Melanie Mutch (Ku-Ring-Gai), Eric Dodson (Lane Cove), Kristy Nightingale (Hornsby), Ellen Forsyth (State Library of NSW), Lauren Castan (Waverley), Natasha Aldrich (Waverley), Heather York (Gosford), Natalie Funston (Rockdale), Lisa Pigna (Canterbury), Karen Black (Wollondilly), Renee Fittler (Ashfield), Robyn Menzies (Hawkesbury), Susan Dalziel (Stanton), Cathy Mark (Stanton), Cathy Rutar (Blacktown) Abir El-Lahib (City of Sydney), Patra Pertohilos (Woollahra), Lisa McCarthy (Blue Mountains), Vincenza Cigolini (Hills Shire), Liz Astley (Wollongong), Liam Pucher (Northern Beaches), Monique Akauola (Sutherland), Amy Heap (Riverina) Apologies: David Hay (Waverley)

Photographs of the meeting are on Flickr

In small groups discussions took place of what people have been reading with a strong focus on applying RA skills to the suggesting of titles. Remember you can utilise the guide sheet from the discussion. https://goo.gl/QwppnT

Share your Library’s examples of RA programs by sending photos to Melanie Mutch (mmutch@kmc.nsw.gov.au) or Eric Dodson (edodson@lanecove.nsw.gov.au) for posting on our Flickr account. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nsw_risg/

• Ku-Ring-Gai Library is introducing a coming soon shelf tag for popular authors and increased promotion for digital magazines through the use of shelf talkers.
• Hornsby Library has trialled an open book club & is soon to be using staff picks stickers based on top staff reads.
• Hawkesbury Library has launched a branded scheme called “Reconnect With Reading” with media releases, Facebook reviews, new genre labelling, bookmarks and branded displays.
• Wingecarribee Library has simple staff reads online giving Author & Title for recommended releases. Rockdale Library is also encouraging staff reviews.
• Woollahra Library sends email recommendation lists a couple of times a year based on borrower preferences.
• Ashfield Library is branching out with bookmark themes including Picture Books & Asian Reads.
• Hills Shire Library has introduced a Mandarin speaker’s reading group as well as community language genre stickers.
• City of Sydney Library had post-it notes on displays so people could give direct feedback.
• Stanton & Canterbury Library are both utilising Read Watch Play in displays following monthly themes.
• Riverina Library had been Facebooking staff reviews and has found that negative reviews may be positive.

Some Libraries are utilising Read Watch Play as a core or regular display focus. Promotion of monthly themes through social media is also beneficial for Libraries with the capability.

Evaluation Reminder A reminder that it is important to build techniques for evaluation into RA activities and projects so that it is possible to accurately project value to management and when reviewing or presenting.

Rockdale’s new Library from RA perspective Natalie Funston – Rockdale has moved to a roving service model in their new Library. “Rewarding Reading” attendees passed on training over four 2 hour sessions with Read Watch Play discussion sessions to accustom staff to RA interactions. Staff reviews of all formats are posted to the catalogue. Display screens have been utilised with current focus of highlighting the eMagazine collection along with Facebook & shelf talkers with QR codes. Email promotion has been used to reconnect with registered but lapsed eBorrowers. A large quick pic display is prominent on both levels with roving staff managing stock during quiet times. All shelving is face out on the top level to maximise engagement.

• Locating DVDs with appropriate subtitles & in specific languages. Possibly a cataloguing issue for some libraries needing to include more item info.
• Staff challenges in training & getting comfortable with RA interactions. No need to look for the right answer and encouraging diverse formats.
• Encouraging staff to use tools & gain knowledge to recommend beyond one favourite title.
• Try giving one variant title to HLS patrons to take them outside their borrowing profile.
• Maintaining depth in NF collections with out of date titles possibly not being replaced or available as modern publications.

Discussion included Wollongong’s staff development day with in-house self paced digital RA training modules & “happy hour” dedicated staff training times, Ashfield’s new concept collection for Junior easy books to enable accessibility, Waverley’s guest romance book blogger to open up the genre to borrowers & staff and a reminder of the value of circulating prize winners and best of lists to familiarise staff with key authors and titles.

International Games Day highlighted as an opportunity for libraries as an event/display focus.

Any Libraries conducting form based RA activities are encouraged to pass on details, materials or photos to the steering group for collection and sharing.

A volunteer group will be updating the reading group section of the wiki.

• May meeting – Wagga
• August meeting – Rockdale
• November meeting – Hornsby

Details to come on wiki. EOIs for future hosting welcome. Contact steering group. http://readersadvisory.wikifoundry.com/page/NSW+Readers%27+Advisory+Working+Group

The next Readers Advisory Seminar will be held on Wednesday, 22 March 2017 from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (AEDT) in the Metcalfe Auditorium at the State Library of NSW on Macquarie Street Sydney. This seminar is free for NSW public library staff, and each library is invited to send 2 staff along to the session.