31 May 2018 Ryde Library

Attendance:

Amanda Hudson (Stanton), Cathy Krause (Central Coast Council), Gabbi Wyllie (Ryde), Gayatri Krishnamurthy (Ku-ring-gai), Helen Mavropodis (Canterbury Bankstown), Jay Fletcher (Sutherland), Jessica O'Reilly (Stanton), Jinru Zhu (Canterbury Bankstown), Karen Redlich (Mosman Library), Kathleen Allen (Ryde), Laura Kongvongsa-Patel (Blacktown City Libraries), Louise Dolle (Cumberland), Melanie Mutch (Hornsby), Phil Jones (Ryde), Sarah Howes (Wollongong), Sarah Hussein (Parramatta), Skadi Nova (Hurstville City Library), Sophia Tsouglis (Inner West), Susan McIlroy (Goulburn), Cat Thomas (Campbelltown), Zoe Ross (Campbelltown), Jo Munn (Woollongong)

Round table discussion: The group discussed different platforms that could be used to share and store program and marketing ideas. The platform selected was Pinterest and the board is now live. Please send any images you’d like to share, along with a brief description to Melanie Mutch at Hornsby Library mmutch@hornsby.nsw.gov.auJpgs are preferred.

Cat Thomas from Campbelltown Library presented 3 programs for Adults.

• IT & Biscuits is a range of tech help sessions that run for 1.5 – 2 hours. Some are Bring Your Own Device and others use library PCs.
• Let’s Talk Legal is run in partnership with Macarthur Legal Centre – programs include sessions on Wills, Tenants rights, Information for carers of people with disabilities and mental illness.
• Sustainability workshops in partnership with the Macarthur centre for Sustainable living – topics have included Minimising food waste, cooking inexpensive and healthy dishes at home, worm faring & composting, garden to table cooking demonstrations.

They have the opportunity to promote their events on local community radio, where Council has a 1 hour time slot each fortnight. View Campbelltown's presentation herehttps:www.slideshare.net/PublicLibraryServices/campbelltown-city-library-presentation-at-marketing-and-programs-working-group-meeting-31-may-2018 Gabbi Wyllie from Ryde discussed their Musical Morning Tea program. Jess O’Reilly from Stanton Library discussed the success they have had with a philosophy discussion group and Bloomsday events. The Library also hosts a regular writer in residence who will do an author talk or workshop as part of their residency. She mentioned that their monthly ‘What’s On guide’ is very popular. Georges River Library have run some ukulele workshops that cross-promoted the instruments they have available for loan. They also offer a series of ‘Home Grown Living’ programs, including one with naturopath and gardener, Simone Jeffries, will provide practical advice on planning and planting your herb garden along with information on the health benefits of a variety of herbs. Gayatri from Ku-ring-gai Library spoke about the library’s recipe club, a self-managed social club where participants discuss recipes, cooking tips and eating out experiences. They have also offered successful craft sessions such as soap making. Holroyd/ Auburn Library offer a board games club, events in partnership with Western Sydney Health and have a successful Turkish language book club. A number of libraries, including Wollongong, run successful knitting and maker groups. Cathy Krause from Central Coast Libraries spoke about their ‘Meet and Greet’ sessions for Retirees and ESL community. These are an opportunity to meet new people, practice English Conversation etc Canterbury Bankstown run many multicultural programs and services – English conversation classes are particularly popular. Goulburn Library offers an ‘Urban Homesteading’ series including sessions on keeping chickens, keeping goats for milk & cheese making, and growing vegetables at home. They ran a popular Summer Reading program that included a ‘Badly Described Books’ hunt. Be the first person to successfully identify one of the 10 books in the hunt from its description and win a gift voucher for the Lilac City Cinema or Bowral Bookshop. Christiane Birkett - Gunnedah Brain training @ the Library - for Seniors and targets all sorts of different brain functions such as Visual, Fine Motor skills, Vocabulary, Number skills, Word skills, Non-dominant Hand skills, etc., etc., etc., using such activities as Spot the different, work games, number games, Find the objects, general knowledge questions, and so on. It’s great fun and I run two sessions each week with a limit of ten persons per sessions. We have also taken the programme to nursing homes, and have co-operated with Dementia Australia in presenting information about the programme at various workshops, etc. Bookends. It’s a literacy assist programme where the children who need help with reading can ‘borrow’ a senior for twenty minutes and read to them. They will get help, encouragement, one-on-one time, etc. The programme runs Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons starting at 3.00 and running until the library closes. The programme was launched during Seniors’ week and we are collecting bookings from children. We have sent the brochure to the schools in the town and inclusion in their newsletters. ====== Round table discussion ====== survey results: What areas would people like to focus on at future meetings?