This was presented as part of the 2016 NSW public library readers’ advisory seminar 23 March 2016.

1. Making a case
for providing & developing
Readers’ Advisory services

2. Readers Advisory is:
A reader-focused service in which
knowledgeable, non-judgmental library
staff help readers with their leisure
reading needs.
Libraries Alive

3. QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES:
Why invest resources in
promoting access to
leisure reading?

4. QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES:
What does a good
RA service look like?

5. QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES:
How do we know
we are doing a
good job?

6. How effective is
your RA ?
From Readers Advisory Services in NSW public libraries survey
5.81%
42.58%
43.23%
8.39%
very
effectively
somewhat
not very

7. 50.7%
49.3% no tracking
tracking
From Readers Advisory Services in NSW public libraries survey
What do you
measure?

8. We know WHAT is borrowed, but we can only
make assumptions about WHY
Public Library Statistics 2013/14
CIRCULATION: BOOKS BY CATEGORY JULY 2013 - JUNE 2014
19.46%
38.19%
0.37%
3.36%
4.31%
15.64%
0.08%
18.59%
0.00%5.00%10.00%15.00%20.00%25.00%30.00%35.00%40.00%45.00%
Adult Non Fiction
Adult Fiction
Young Adult Non Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Junior Non Fiction
Junior Fiction
Picture Easy Non Fiction
Picture Easy Fiction
24%
76%
Non Fiction Fiction

9. Objectives
To understand customer needs and
identify areas for improvement
To monitor the
development of the service

10. Objectives
To measure your service against comparable
library services
To demonstrate the ways RA
meets the objectives of your
organization’s strategic plan

11. Objectives
To demonstrate ROI for
providing programs & services
To advocate for the library service
To prove the need for expert
RA staff

12. BenefitsofReading * increase empathy * improve
relationships * reduce symptoms of
depression * reduce the risk of
dementia * improve wellbeing
throughout life * reduce stress

13. “Something like a
book club, where you regularly
meet friends and chat, can
significantly
reduce your risk of death
in the first six years post-
retirement” Social group memberships in retirement are associated with reduced risk of premature death:
evidence from a longitudinal cohort study

14. how does RA add value?

15. Strategic Plans
Many factors contribute to an individual and a community
sense of wellbeing, including the feeling of being in a safe
environment and feeling connected and part of the
community.
Outcome 6: Create a strong sense of belonging
6A: explore ways to improve social connectedness and the inclusion of all persons in
our community
6A.1 provide customer focused library and information services at all libraries
6B.1: provide a variety of interesting events for our community to participate in and
enjoy
6B.2: provide a contemporary arts and cultural centre
6C.1: provide targeted programs and collections at all libraries for community
members

16. What should be measured?
How should it be measured?

17. NSW RA Wiki
http://readersadvisory.wikifoundry.com/

18. readers’ advisory categories
self-directed
reading oriented programs
digitally based ra
staff training
customer interactions

19. DISPLAYS
Quick Choice Zones, new book stands, staff picks,
recent returns
High turnover/ express collections
Recent returns
PRINTED RESOURCES
Reading Lists
Genre Guides
SPINE LABELS
ARRANGE COLLECTION BY GENRE
SHELF TALKERS
self-directed RA

20. self-directed RA
Objectives:
Promote RA programs and services
Identify titles by genre
Signage facilitates access to collection & services
Promote read-a-likes for high demand items
Draw attention to particular areas of the collection

21. 16.6loans per year
4.9loans per year
Ryde Library
Fast Read Collection
Average turnover
2292 total loans

22. READING DISCUSSION GROUPS
provision of materials to
community reading groups & book clubs
AUTHOR EVENTS
PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
One Book, One Community Programs
Summer/Seasonal Reading Programs
Reading Challenges
REVIEWS ON RADIO, IN NEWSPAPER OR
OTHER MEDIA
reading oriented programs

23. reading oriented programs
Objective:
provide a range of activities related to library services
and collections that enrich the lives of community
members who choose to attend.

24. Mosman Library
Read, Review & Win
Run 2x a year
July & January
Up to 40 participants

25. 2014 - 15
61events
4 378 attendees

26. 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
1
1327people
19programs
Bruce Venables Steve Liaras
Munjed Al Muderis Scott Baker
Tim Hawkes Tony Park
Steve Sailah Chris Allen
Jono Lineen Greg Barron
Caroline Overington Isolde Martyn
Steven Liaros Peter FitzSimons
Nilmini De Silva Matt McCredie
Peter Docker Frank Moorhouse
Michael Robotham Leila Yusaf Chung
Martin Langford Alice Campion
Liane Moriarty Amanda Ortlepp
Dianne Blacklock Samantha Tidy
Ber Carroll Maxine McKew
Maureen Tan Sami Shah
Sian Prior
Hornsby Library
Meet the Author
Authors at Hornsby Library 2014-15
2014
-15
2013
-14
21programs
1032people

27. READING SUGGESTIONS (ON WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA,
IN CATALOGUE
book lists, read-alikes
eNEWSLETTER
LIBRARY BLOG
COMMUNITY BOOK REVIEWS
ASYNCHRONOUS (FORM-BASED) RA
ONLINE READING DISCUSSION
LIBRARY WEBSITE
DATABASES digitally based RA

28. digitally based RA
Objectives:
the Library website is a trusted source of reading
suggestions

29. { }
‘Most Clicked’
content in Canada
Bay’s eNews is a book
review

30. 56266
19215
3527
1980
1290
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000
Woollahra
Riverina…
Canterb…
Auburn
Strathfield
Novelist search results
July 2015-feb 2016
862
757 729 713
509
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Hawkesbury Ku-Ring-Gai Wollongong Hornsby Mosman
Sutherland
510 801*

31. I'm very happy with your suggestions
and look forward to reading the books.
I love the library and appreciate all that
you and your colleagues do.
******
It is nice to have this type of service …
it is excellent to have the guidance of
an expert.
******
I really appreciate you doing this so
promptly. I am going to tell my friends
about this service.
Warringah Council Library
YOUR LIBRARIAN
Customer Feedback

32. staff training
Objectives:
skilled & trained staff deal with
readers’ advisory requests
staff are proactive in offering assistance and
promoting services and resources to the
community

33. Hawkesbury Library Staff Feedback
“What was MOST useful?”
“Seeing examples of how
other libraries display
things”
“Seeing what other
libraries do different kinds
of displays”
“Learning about
resources and types of
displays”“Seeing examples of what
other libraries are doing”
“Seeing other library spaces”

34. Customer Interactions

35. Hornsby case study

36. RA Makeover Webcast
NoveList and Library Journal

37. create good news stories to share
build a case to develop new projects
evidence for your performance review
applying for new jobs
advocate for RA
HOW CAN YOU USE THIS DATA?

38. When sharing data,
target the evidence to the audience.
What is useful & interesting to them?

39. Warringah Council Application
A R Bluett memorial Award 2014/2015

40.  Strategic Plan
 What data is already
collected?
 What else could be useful?
 Share it

41. Melanie Mutch
Community Liaison & Programs Librarian
Hornsby Shire Council
mmutch@hornsby.nsw.gov.au