At a recent Branching Out seminar,  the poet and reader-in-residence and reader development professional Rommi Smith outlined her experience in planning and running consultations with Black readers in libraries. 

She emphasised that, when starting a consultation process with black readers, a throrough plan of action is needed if the approach is to be effective and produce results. Those results need to feed into stock policy, customer care and staff training as well as fuelling ideas for promotions and projects.

It's a good idea to start any change process with consultation.  Asking Black readers both inside and outside the library stops staff having to assume or guess that what they are doing is right.  Consultation is particularly important to check that the service is reaching Black readers and attracting new members. 

Investigate a wider strategic approach that uses this consultation process to affect policy and service change.