Multicultural working group
Minutes
Location: Whitlam Library, Fairfield City Open Libraries.
Date: 24 August 2023
Time; 10:00
Chair: Sujatha Thadakamalla , Fairfield Library
Minutes: Jadwiga Krejza, Liverpool Library
Attending: Abby Dawson State Library, Sujatha Thadakamalla Fairfield Open Libraries, Angela Kolar MRRC Library, Ajay Dabir MRRC Library, Marcin Groblicki Blacktown, Kathrine Zhu Randwick, Kathy Yang Ryde, Venessa Maino Ryde, Helen Williams Innerwest, Thanoja Fernando Wollongong, Faranak Kazemimajd Wollongong, Stella Tay Cumberland, Fahmida Haque Strathfield, Bernita Stanton, Jadwiga Krejza Liverpool.
Apologies: Oraina Acevedo State Library, Shauna Miller State Library, Joanna Goh State Library, Ayse Ersoy Waverly, Eugenia Ng Burwood, Thanh Luu Canterbury Bankstown, Irena Tichackova Hornsby , Mary Loveland – Northern Beaches, Sharlene Louey City of Sydney.
The minutes from previous meeting to be accepted by Kathrine Zhao and Helen Wiliams.
Business arising from previous minutes Libraries consortium that links five libraries to the Cloud Library. Ross to be contacted regarding databases for multicultural community.
Welcome new members of the group Ajay Dabir MRRC Library Marcin Groblicki Blacktown Library Thanoja Fernando Wollongong Library Faranak Kazemimajd Wollongong Library Stella Tay Cumberland Library Fahmida Haque Strathfield Library Bernita Stanton Library
Congratulations to Irena Tichackova on her new appointment. Unfortunately, she will be leaving our Group.
Nomination for Chair and Secretary Nomination for Chair and the Secretary are welcome. Jadwiga will send the nomination forms before the meeting in November.
Multicultural Excellence Awards The nomination to be submitted via MPLA website.
Multicultural Bulk Loans update 2022/2023 – Joanna Goh and Abby Dawson The highest loans in 5 years – 75,137 items Top 10 collections • French – as usual • Spanish • Italian • Russian • German • Japanese • Chinese • Polish • Arabic • Greek
Biggest increases in loans from the Ukrainian, Nepalese, Urdu and Arabic collections. Lowest use – Slovak and Bulgarian – review, refresh, promote and monitor for 2 years before decision on withdrawal and replacement with new languages. Used by 83 library services, 30 metro, 52 regionals, and the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre at Silverwater.
Top users of the service were Canterbury Bankstown, RTRL, Lane Cove, The Hills and Hornsby. Abby provided information about the fresh marketing material – DL card, digital signage, posters – working on social media posts.
To obtain the new banners regarding Multicultural Bulk Loan Services that can be displayed in libraries, contact Joanna Goh. More banners to be ordered.
Multilingual glossary
A request for a new phrase - Do not leave your children unattended to be added to the Multilingual Glossary. A suggestion was made for wider review of the glossary for updated terms to be added or some to be removed.
indyreads update
The Indyreads updated marketing resources, including LOTE collections and Learn English Collections. Recently another 150 Chinese titles added, thanking Kathy, Katherine and Vivien.
State Library is exploring other LOTE collection Japanese, Tamil and Ukrainian, but dependent on the quality of the content.
Reader's advisory for CALD The members of the group made the following suggestions:
Using library catalogue Speaking to customers Using worldcat.com Translating Google Displaying titles, front covers on library's website – carrousel Using suggestion for purchase forms Book displays.
Magazine's subscription Members of the group to share the information about suppliers. Using the Cooperative for source of information.
Information sharing
Liverpool Library - will be moving to a new library, which will be open first weekend in December. Beautiful and existing new space for the community.
Randwick Library - LOTE for Kids – use during the Storytime sessions. Excellent database with 50+ languages. New project - STEM Place, engaging a new generation, 3D printing, laser cut, recycling, and reusing plastic. New events run in the libraries such as, physical exercise, dance workshops, ping pong tournament.
Ryde Library - “The best things in life” to reconnect, no overdue fines will be collected but customers still need to pay for the lost items. Tax time - the tax help was provided to community in the Mandarin and Cantonese languages. Korean calligraphy workshops were popular and information sessions on home care, fees and charges and age care in Mandarin, English and Korean.
Wollongong Libraries – Persian Polymer Clay Workshops workshops were popular. The library is cooperating with Korean Cultural Centre as a part of the festival celebrations which will include puppetry workshops, healthy food stores.
MRRC - the COVID19 restriction ended last July. The Centre recorded 500 visit per month. The most popular resources are in Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian languages. Every facility has a multicultural centre. The literacy is an issue. Mary asked the group about the Conversation Café, how are they run. More discussion during November meeting.
Visto to Lab.LX STEAM creative space The staff gave a great presentation of the creative space, where participants can learn coding, robotics, 3D animation. Also includes the recording studio. Number of programs are offered on weekends and during school holidays.
“lab.LX and lab.LX STEAM are creative learning spaces for STEAM education. Through a mixture of structured learning and creative play, we offer access to a broad range of technologies. Students, technology enthusiasts, and creators can come together through a combination of programmed workshops and open lab sessions to advance their understanding of STEAM subjects, and general technological literacy.”
The creative spaces are in Whitlam Library and Bonnyrigg Library.
https://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/Services/Fairfield-City-Open-Libraries/lab.LX-and-lab.LX-STEAM
Meeting closed 12:45pm Next meeting: State Library, Thursday 23 November 2023, 10am start.