September - Get Reading! Australian

I love the anticipation leading up to September when we launch the national Get Reading! program!
The GR! team makes it very easy for us; they create the guide and send print copies to registered libraries and bookstores which will be snapped up quickly by keen readers. There is so much online http://www.getreading.com.au/ including

• the guide, 
• a newsletter, 
• first chapter downloads, and 
• an app (find your nearest bookstore and library)
• the hasthtag #getreadingAU at @getreadingAU

The list of Australian books that make the guide is released to the public on 1 September and not before. But as a registered library, our library recognises that to best promote the books to our community, we need staff to know what the titles are, and what the books are about. That's just good reader services practice. We:

• distributed the books to staff rooms with a comment sheet. We encourage staff to read the books or dip into them and share their thoughts. Some people have already read some of the books. Others will discover them for the first time. 
• registered for the GR! author touring program and have booked an author whose book was one of the most enjoyed books of 2012 
• have worked with four other librarians across Queensland and New Zealand to create a reading map that begins with the guest author's book. 
• include Get Reading! as a series heading in our catalogue to help people searching for the books (and have included a website link to the catalogue too).

To kick of this month of reading Australian stories, I've recently read Kate Morton's The Secret Keeper, and Josephine Rowe's Tarcutta Wake (review coming soon). I recommend both.

I'd like to see Get Reading! and Love2Read merge to become an almighty force for reading in this country. What does your library or bookstore do to get staff ready for Get Reading! month? I'm planning an article around this topic so all responses welcomed.