NSW PUBLIC LIBRARIES LITERACY WORKING GROUP
DATE: 22nd August 2017 VENUE: Gordon Library
The meeting was hit by the flu plaguing Sydney Points of communication the importance of interested staff being encouraged to attend meetings Professional development opportunity Lit Up! Literacy Forum 11 September and resource purchasing - ensure some staff are attending Support from the State Library representatives is pivotal Literacy Working Group is now meeting the recommendations of the Working Group Review
ATTENDEES:
- Kasia Malicka Burwood
- Kathleen Alexander State Library
- Shoba Abraham Gordon
- Wendy Gindi Canterbury/Bankstown
- Jacinta Craine Sutherland
APOLOGIES:
- Abir El-Lahib City of Sydney
- Robert Stewart Cessnock
- Liz McCutchen Gilgandra
- Christiane Birkett Gunnedah
- Natalie Funston Rockdale
- Debbie Horgan Midcoast Council
- Jacqueline Elstein Mosman
- Jacqueline Talbot Lane Cove
- Julie Just Kuring-gai
Chairperson: Jacinta Craine Secretary: Jacinta Craine
1. Welcome - Deborah Lisson Deborah confirmed her support for the Working Groups as a great way of participating in the library profession, developing skills not only in the area of interest of the group, but general meeting and leadership skills, as well as the inherent advantages of networking with like minded professionals. Gordon have recently pulled all their relevant resources into an identified collection named Literacy, which is located in a thoroughfare, but not exposed, allowing for it’s easy discovery and relatively anonymous usage., which has resulted in an increase in usage of the resources and of enquiries relating to literacy. The demographic is relatively affluent; however this needs to be tempered by the reality that many move into the area for the school zoning and so struggle with repayments. Grandparents (as parents are working) with little English are becoming a large portion of the carers seen at children’s activities, and are often those seeking help with learning English.
2. Introductions
3. Apologies
- Abir El-Lahib – City of Sydney
- Robert Stewart – Cessnock
- Liz McCutchen – Gilgandra
- Christiane Birkett – Gunnedah
- Natalie Funston – Rockdale
- Debbie Horgan – Midcoast Council
- Jacqueline Elstein - Mosman
4. Matters arising from previous Minutes Update on Literacy Forum and Working Group Wiki further on in the minutes. Minutes accepted by Wendy Gindi Seconded by Jacinta Craine
5. Allocation of jobs for the Literacy Forum - see table to volunteer for a job. Kathleen kindly supplied a checklist and added some things to it. List of things still to be done/allocated: Ask Shauna if Bookery can supply a list of the items they will be bringing before the day to send out to attendees Advertise via Twitter Ensure all Working group members are booked in Have the speakers book in too *Check the forum is added to the PLS calendar Send a reminder email 48 hours before – could this have the book list attached somehow??? Need to have as many as possible booked by 1 week prior as catering need to know the week before *Book a roving microphone for questions from the audience *Evaluation survey – Kathleen may have one we can copy *Arrange for 10% off purchases at the SL Bookshop Is Ellen planning to be there on the day - who will tweet? #Litup!2017 #literacyinlibraries Talk to Oriana about Venue hire to have a Registration table set up Designate a photographer Share links to the streamed event 2 days on the Friday. Print agendas *Name tags to be printed on the day Who is doing the introduction? Check with Oriana Biographies / introductions for each speaker Presentations – delivered beforehand? USB on the day? dropbox? Timekeeper – word document – 5 minute warning – 0 mins
6. State Library representative report Dr John Vallance is the new State Librarian, comes from Sydney Grammar School and starts Monday 28th August. With NSW.net and Public Library Services having been brought together physically they are finding ways to work together in their support of Public Libraries NSW.net are currently assessing a new IELTS online product.
7. Review of Working groups Kathleen talked about the review which can be found at: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/public-library-services/nsw-working-groups-review The review supports the working groups as being ‘the main learning communities open to NSW public library staff network participation” and the recommendations have implications for all stakeholders with the following excerpts specifically for Working Groups.
Planning and coordination, including encouraging new staff to take on these roles 2. Working groups are encouraged to recruit a diverse range of staff to steering committees to bring wide ranging viewpoints, skills and ideas, and to model inclusive leadership within the profession (WG, LM, PLS). 3. Working groups are encouraged to include comprehensive planning once a year, to plan topics, venues and dates. (WG) 4. Working groups are encouraged to invite libraries via a general call out (eg. email) to host meetings. This allows for more local staff participation and facilitates longer term planning for working group activities. (WG, LM) 5. Working groups are encouraged to use online tools like wikis, Google Hangouts, Slideshare, Eventbrite and Surveymonkey as they are low cost/free, efficient and accessible. (WG, PLS) 6. Working groups are encouraged to elect steering committees to share the load of running the groups. Experience in these leadership roles provides opportunities for skill development. (WG, LM) 7. PLS team members can be used as facilitators for group planning and can assist with event coordination. (PLS, WG) Group terms of reference and reporting arrangements 10. All working groups are required to keep minutes of meetings and to share them widely with the public library network.(WG) Library manager / senior staff sponsorship of groups 13. As working groups communicate to the wider public library network via the [pln] email list, it is recommended that all library managers subscribe to this list. (LM, WG) Communication (eg. elists, wikis and social media tools, calendar for meeting dates and times) 17. Working groups are encouraged to include points of communication for library managers and other library staff when notification about new minutes are distributed via email on the pln list and the relevant subject specific list – to be emailed by chair or steering committee members, including links to the online minutes rather than sending attachments. (WG) 18. Working groups are required to make their meeting minutes available online, to improve access, transparency and foster wider participation. (WG) 19. Working groups are encouraged to have an online place for shared content, including presentations, tools, projects, survey findings. This space should be considered an interactive, online workshop space, which is open to all public library staff to manage, to contribute and edit content. (WG, PLS) Supporting participation of regional and remote staff 25. Working groups promote the ability to edit wikis or operate other collaborative tools from any NSW public library location (WG) 26. Working groups are encouraged to use social media (eg. hashtags at seminars for Twitter conversations and Instagram images, Facebook groups) (WG, LM) 28. Working groups are encouraged to use video conferencing tools as part of meeting (mixed mode including face to face and streaming) (WG) Record keeping 30. Official records are the minutes of the meetings, reports to library managers, state wide project outcomes/products (for example ref-ex, videos of presentations, slides of presentations). These should be recorded and disseminated to the public library network. (WG) 31. The online storage of official records is encouraged. This ensures that the groups are inclusive and all the information is available to everyone. (WG)
8. Wiki for Working Group http://plnswliteracy.wikifoundry.com/
It is now up and running and all group members are encouraged to signup to be writer’s and add information to be shared with all. The link is now live at http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/public-library-services/wikis-and-blogs for the wider library community to view.
9. Professional reading
Literacy Matters: State Library of Western Australia Literacy Strategy 2017 – 2027 http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/news/state-library-takes-lead-literacy
“You are here: In My Own Words’ – SBS on Demand - documentary featuring the Literacy for Life Foundation and the work they are doing with the Cuban developed ‘Yes I can’ adult literacy model, in Brewarrina. Screened July 2017 https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/1001209923690/you-are-here-in-my-own-words More info about the program at www.lflf.org.au/film
August 2016– Insight – Reading between the lines https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/741096003666/insight-reading-between-the-lines
10. Call for nominations for Secretary and Chair to be voted upon at Annual General Meeting in November. Request to please send in your nominations for Secretary and Chairperson before the next meeting in November
11. Next Meeting – Annual General Meeting 28th November 10am – 12noon State Library.