Supporting Staff to Support Each Other – Front of House Support Forums at State Library Victoria

As part of State Library Victoria’s commitment to removing barriers to inclusion across our services, library staff established the Front of House (FOH) Support Forums in May 2022. These forums are monthly gatherings which create a safe space for FOH staff to share experiences, seek guidance, and raise concerns. The forums provide an opportunity for staff at all levels to have a voice on issues that affect their work, helping to embed a collective vision and responsibility for the Library’s service model.

The Support Forums are ongoing – 17 have so far been held, between June 2022 and October 2023. These forums have brought together staff from the Library’s many FOH teams, including Librarians, Security Guards, and Visitor Services Officers. They have encouraged collaboration and built connections between these disparate teams that all work FOH, but who did not previously have any way to discuss the common factors that impact their roles.

The forums have enabled Library staff to openly discuss topics relevant to working front-of-house. Various themes have emerged, including the importance of communication and collaboration across FOH teams, the need for clear feedback mechanisms, the importance of self-care and the need for connection with other community support services.

In this presentation we will discuss how the Support Forum model was developed, how it is organised by a volunteer committee of Library staff, the achievements of the forums and what we have learned along the way. We will also explore the topics that have been raised, and how the forums have advocated for changes to library policy and procedures to support all staff working front-of-house.