Please note there is no morning tea break.
9.30 Welcome to the State Library, and Acknowledgement of Country.
Cameron Morley; Head of Public Library Services, SLNSW
Morning Chair; Lauren Watkins (Kiama Library)
Part 1 Readers’ advisory interview
9.40 Back to basics: The Reader’s advisory interview, including examples.
9.50 In conversation – discussing different interviews with readers' advisory staff (home library, etc.)
10.15 Readers' advisory interviews for children and young people
Bec Shelberg (Stanton Library, North Sydney)
10.45 Activity - What ideas you will be taking back to your work.
5-min break - stand/stretch – Note there is no morning tea break
Part 2 Diversity
11.15 ALIA Disability group: Social bibliotherapy.
Amy Rake (Tamworth Library)
11.45 ALIA Disability group: Diversity in readers’ advisory from a mental health perspective.
Sonya Moon (Libraries Tasmania);
11.50 2 x 5-minute talks
12:00-1:00 Lunch - provided for onsite participants
- Optional activity at lunch time – talk to a someone you have not met. Ask them what they’ve read lately.
- If you are asked – a challenge is to reply with three appeal terms instead of a book synopsis/summary (this is to focus on appeal and not plot)
Afternoon Chair - Ita Hanssens (Tamworth Library)
Part 3 Taking action
1.00 Collection diversity to support readers' advisoy
Yasmin Greenhalgh (Stanton Library, North Sydney)
1.30 The smaller library experience; diversity in displays
Lauran Mills (Gerringong Library)
Part 4 Training and resources
1.40 5 minute talks:
- Readers' advisory staff training. - Jodie Dolden & Lani Kilpatrick-Coles (Hornsby)
- Literary Mocktails as readers’ advisory tools - Gabrielle Cundy (Blacktown)
- Multicultural loan increases - Jolana Voeks (Clarence Regional Library)
- Professional reading group - Rachel Franks (State Library)
- First Nations Collections – Shaye Malsem (Albury)
- Young Adult Book Club - Danielle Hillard (Newcastle Libraries)
- Readers' advisory training for staff - Joanna Kondaxis and Emma Boyd (Inner West Libraries)
2.40 Afternoon tea 30 minutes
Closing Chair – Aaron Wilkes (Richmond Upper Clarence Regional Library)
Part 5 An overview of readers' advisory resources
3.10 Resources show and tell
3.20 Cataloguing to support readers' advisory
Ngarie Macqueen (Richmond-Upper Clarence Regional Library)
3.30 Training plans for 2026, and State Library resources
Ellen Forsyth (SLNSW)
3.45 Seminar evaluation, and invitation to a follow-up readers' advisory meeting.
4pm - Close
Online participants please use the zoom link to register.
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Travel assistance is available for NSW public library travelling more than 100 kilometres to participate in the onsite part of the seminar. The form and information about is are here
