HOME LIBRARY WORKING GROUP MINUTES
June 1 2026 – ONLINE VIA TEAMS
HOSTED BY CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN AGED & DISABILITY TEAM
10.00 AM TO 11.24 AM
ATTENDANCE: SANDRA BICE (CHAIR, CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN), CAROLINE RESIAK (MINUTES, CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN) ALISON CLARKE (KURINGAI), BERNEDETTE STEPHENSON (CAMPBELLTOWN), DEIRDRE THRUSH (PENRITH), MARY CASEY (CITY OF SYDNEY), GAYLE DONALDSON (CITY OF SYDNEY), JAWED WIJNGEBRAEL (BURWOOD), KATIE WINTEN (CITY OF SYDNEY), STEPHEN PEACOCK (SUTHERLAND), CATHERINE BRYANT (STATE LIBRARY), SAQIB MAHMOOD (PENRITH), CATHERINE GUNTHER (CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN), ANNE MARIE BORBE (CATNERBURY BANKSTOWN), JENNY ARGYROUS (CANTERBURY BANKSTOWN), PETER GREEN (CITY OF SYDNEY), MALLORY SALTER (CAMPBELLTOWN), KRISTY NIGHTINGALE (RYDE), LOUISE MILNE, DANA HAWKINS (SINGLETON), ELIZABETH THORNTON (KIAMA), SUZANNE SPENCER (NORTH SYDNEY), MONIKA GUDOVA (SUTHERLAND), JODIE DOLDEN (HORNSBY), ANNA VIGLIANTE (WAVERLEY), KAHLUA CHARLTON (CLARENCE).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY - SANDRA BICE, FROM DARUG COUNTRY.
AS PART OF RECONCILIATION WEEK, MEETING ATTENDEES WERE ASKED TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND THE COUNTRY ON WHICH THEIR LIBRARY SERVICE IS LOCATED.
BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES
ISSUES TO DISCUSS
1. SPOKEN WORD COLLECTIONS GOING FORWARD (SANDRA)
EMAIL RESPONSES SENT TO SANDRA ARE NOW IN THE WIKI
MOST SERVICES ARE MAKING IT INCREASINGLY REDUDANT AND NO LONGER PURCHASING HIGH VOLUMES
SERVICES ARE GOING DIGITAL DUE TO THE LOWER MAINTENANCE COST AND HIGHER USAGE
PHYSICAL COLLECTION IS BEING MOSTLY USED BY A SMALL AMOUNT OF REGULAR USERS AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF HLS PATRONS
IT IS HARD TO OBTAIN AFFORDABLE CD PLAYERS, NEW CARS AND FARM VEHICLES DONT EVEN HAVE CD PLAYERS ANYMORE
DEIRDRE: PENRITH IS ACTUALLY DOING QUITE WELL WITH PHYSICAL SCDS, BUT NOT THAT KEEN TO PURCHASE SO MANY
ALISON HAS A SIMILAR SITUATION - OLDER POPULATION AND ALSO ACTIVELY MAINTAINING THEIR COLLECTION FOR VISION-IMPAIRED HLS MEMBERS
JAWED - LESS AND LESS DEMAND, FEW USERS AND STARTING TO LEAVE SERVICE. PUSHING FOR E-FORMAT AS MORE POPULAR AND COST EFFECTIVE
SANDRA - HARD TO GET PHYSICAL TALKING BOOKS IN OTHER LANGUAGES FOR CALD POPULATION
ELIZABETH - SMALL AREA BUT STILL POPULAR WITH HLS MEMBERS, APPROXIMATELY HALF OF SCD USERS ARE HLS MEMBERS. STILL NEED FRESH TITLES - PROCUREMENT AND A BIT OF STANDING ORDER. SHOALHAVEN DOES PURCHASING WITH THEIR INPUT
JAWED BROUGHT UP THAT SLNSW LONG-TERM LOANS ARE AN OPTION
ALISON INTERESTED IN TRADE OF SCDS BETWEEN LIBRARY SERVICES
SANDRA DISCUSSED THE RELUCTANCE TO DISPOSE OF WITHDRAWN ITEMS AND LIKES THE IDEA OF DONATING OR EVEN EXCHANGING INSTEAD, CALL FOR EOI TO ORGANISE AMONGST THE GROUP?
ALISON - COMMUNITY TRENDS ARE IMPORTANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO
SANDRA ASKED HOW SCD PURCHASING IS DONE AT OTHER LIBRARIES?
SUZANNE - USED TO DO STANDING ORDERS BUT THE TITLES FROM THEM WERE NOT POPULAR - SELECTION INSTEAD ESPECIALLY WITH HLS MEMBERS IN MIND AND PAST LOAN TRENDS - IT ENDS UP TRANSLATING TO THE PREFERENCES OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ANYWAY
SANDRA RPREFERS SELECTION OVER STANDING ORDERS IN THE FUTURE
STEPHEN STRUGGLES TO JUSTIFY THE SPENDING FOR SCDS, CUTTING BACK ON STANDING ORDERS, PILLAGES FROM THE GENERAL COLLECTION INSTEAD WHICH IS NOT BEING USED MUCH AND WHICH IS BEING REDUCED
2. VISION AUSTRALIA RESOURCES (STEPHEN)
STEPHEN CAN ONLY USE BORROWBOX TO DOWNLOAD TO ENVOYS. WHILE VA IS GREAT AND USED BY OTHERS, SUTHERLAND COUNCIL IS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT FOR SECURITY REASONS, TRYING TO REASON WITH THEM AND CLAIM DISCRIMINATION BUT NO LUCK
STEPHEN WANTS TO AGITATE WITH OTHERS FOR CHANGE. STEPHEN TO COALATE AND SHARE RESOURCES
DANA ASKED HOW LIBRARIES MANAGE BORROWBOX
STEPHEN - CHECKS OUT TO 3-4 LIBRARY ACCOUNTS AND THEN DOWNLOADS AND SENDS TO MEMBERS
DANA LOOKING INTO VA
STEPHEN MIGHT LOOK AT TABLETS AND APPS INSTEAD - NOT SPECIFIC ABOUT KIND YET, BUT NOT TOO EXPENSIVE
JAWED - IPADS BEING USED - ONE PATRON DOING REALLY WELL WITH IT. A PATRON HAD ALSO SIGNED UP WITH VA BEFORE HLS - MAY ENCOURAGE MORE ADEPT MEMBERS TO SIGN UP FOR VA INDEPENDENTLY
STEPHEN ALSO SUGGESTED GETTING FAMILY MEMBERS TO HELP THEM
DEIRDRE HAS A COLLECTION OF DAISY PLAYERS THROUGH VA - ALSO USED BORROWBOX, SD CARDS AND ENVOYS
ANNA HAS TWO VA MEMBERS BUT THEY ALSO REQUEST OTHER TITLES ON ENVOY - NOT POPULAR BUT ENOCURAGED DUE TO SMALL PHYSICAL COLLECTION. ANNA'S DRIVER HELPS INSTRUCT PATRONS IN USING ENVOYS, MOST CAN ONLY HANDLE 1 OR 2 TITLES AT MOST
SANDRA - DAISY PLAYERS ARE GREAT BUT STARTING TO GET OLD AND CHALLENGING TO REPLACE. EVEN A SIMPLE CD PLAYER IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
ANNA DOESN'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS ON BORROWBOX FOR MEMBERS. A COLLECTION OF 13 ENVOYS - EACH MEMBER HAS 2 ALWAYS IN USE - WANTS A SMALL AMOUNT OF ACCOUNTS AND LOAN LOGS TO TRACK
DANA HAS QUITE A FEW VICTOR READERS - USES LIBBY APP TOO - BROWSER IS SIMILAR TO APP
STEPHEN TO LOOK INTO LIBBY
3. DAY TO DAY ISSUES FACING HOME LIBRARY STAFF
PATRON FROM HOSTEL CANCELLED SERVICE AS SHE RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT HAVING TO PAY A DELIVERY FEE FROM RECEPTION TO ROOM. SO FAR ONLY A PROPOSED CHANGE - AT THIS POINT IN TIME NO SUCH CHARGES WILL BE LAID!
RESTRUCTURING OF FEES DUE TO AGED CARE REFORMS - ACCOMODATION COSTS AND DIFFERENT CHARGES TO BE ITEMISED SO PEOPLE ARE MADE AWARE IF THEY ARE CHARGED FOR THINGS THEY DON'T OR CAN'T USE (EG. BUS TRANSPORT SERVICE IF IMMOBILE)
ALISON - TALK TO RA'S TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY DO WITH OUR SERVICE - COULD BE CHARGING WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE
CATHERINE SUGGESTED ADDING IT TO GUIDELINES/ CONTRACT TO DISCOURAGE SUCH PRACTICES AT INSTITUTIONS
4. HLS WIKI
DANA THOUGHT SHE NEEDED APPROVAL FOR HER PROFILE, READY TO LAUNCH SOON
SANDRA - YOU CAN ASK FOR ASSISTANCE WITH WIKI - BETWEEN WORKING GROUP OR STATE LIBRARY STAFF
5. STEERING COMMITTEE
MICHELLE EXPRESSED HER INTEREST - WANTED MORE INFORMATION
PURPOSE IS TO HELP ORGANISE MEETINGS, GUEST SPEAKERS AND SEMINARS, WORK WITH MEETING HOST AND STATE LIBRARY
MEETING HOST ORGANISES AGENDA, VENUE AND ONLINE MEETING LINK
SANDRA CURRENTLY A PART OF COMMITTEE
CAROLINE TO PUT HER HAND UP A SECOND TIME IF NOT ENOUGH TAKERS
KYLIE FROM CANADA BAY CURRENTLY IN COMMITTEE
LOOKING FOR FOUR MEMBERS
MALLORY INTERESTED
STEPHEN, MICHELLE, BERNADETTE AND MALLORY PUT THEIR HANDS UP FOR THE COMMITTEE
6. GENERAL BUSINESS
SENIORS FESTIVAL
MALLORY - LIFE HACKS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING FOR SF. GREAT TURNOUT. 3D PRINTER DEMO - EXCELLENT FEEDBACK. MYRTLE COTTAGE BOUGHT SEVERAL 3D-PRINTED ITEMS THAT WERE MADE; FOR THEIR RESIDENTS TO SEE. AGED CARE TALKS - POPULAR AND INSIGHTFUL.
JAWED - SENIORS CRYPTIC CROSSWORD WORKSHOP - NICHE, 90% OF ATTENDEES FROM FIRST PART RETURNED FOR 2ND BUT NOT THE BIGGEST NUMBERS - IDEA WAS TO TRY SOMETHING NEW AND GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN. DIGITAL SERVICES LIBRARIAN DID A CYBERSECURITY QUIZ
DEIRDRE - MOVIE SCREENING OF AUSTRALIAN MOVIE 'TRACKS,' CYBER SECURITY SESSION, HISTORY WALK, SERVICE AUSTRALIA TALKS, SCAM AWARENESS AND AGED CARE, 3D PRINTING WORKSHOP, MORNING TEA. WILL HAVE MOVIES FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION WEEK TOO
SANDRA ASKED IF ANYONE IS TAKING PART IN OPEN DOORS, OPEN BOOKS, OPEN MINDS EVENT?
SAQIB - YES, ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER. ALSO PLANNING A FEW TALKS FOR LIW & WORKSHOPS
KRISTY - TOURS FOR SENIORS AND FAMILIES AND DIGITAL CONTENT. REALLY TAKING IT ON! PRECURSOR TO 80TH ANNIVERSARY
SANDRA - LIBRARY TOURS, DEMOS, STORYTIME ACROSS BRANCHES, STALLS, CHATS, BOOK REPAIR DEMO. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIG CAMPAIGN - LET'S GO TO THE LIBRARY - A STEPPING-STONE INTO THIS.
SANDRA - SOME SF MOVIE SCREENINGS HAD A HUGE TURNOUT. LOOKING NEXT YEAR AT SCREENING 'AUNTIE MAME' AND 'GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER'
ELIZABETH - EIGHT-WEEK COURSES SUCH AS TECH SAVVY SENIORS COVERING DIFFERENT SUBJECTS
KRISTY - TRAINING IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. TECH SAVVY CONTENT OUTDATED. BE CONNECTED UP TO DATE AND RECOMMENDED
BERNADETTE - SIMILAR CROSS-GEN PROGRAM WITH NON-MAINSTREAM STUDENTS
ALISON - INTERESTED IN HAVING DUKE OF EDINBURGH VOLUNTEEERS
STEPHEN - HIS PROGRAM DESIGNED BY THE TECH TEAM
NEXT MEETING MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER AT HORNSBY - ONSITE AND ONLINE
SONYA TO DRAFT THE AGENDA
TO ACTION: ORGANISING A GROUP BETWEEN LIBRARY SERVICES TO SWAP ITEMS FROM PHYSICAL COLLECTIONS
MEETING CLOSED 11.24AM.