''Greg's wealth of digital knowledge and library background for us is just awesome. We are very lucky to have him in this role.''
Amanda says with a high proportion of Māori and the area's multicultural make up, it is important for the library to reach out and connect with those communities fully.
''We want them to understand the resources we have available to them because some people don't know what we do and what we can offer, from young children up to those of retirement age.''
Greg says ever since he began working in libraries, his focus has been one of empowering people how to get information and how to overcome blocks.
''This role is really good because it's my passion,'' he says.
''The idea is finding out what a community needs and then how do we meet that, and I've got the latitude to be able to do that, so it's really quite exciting.
''I'm there to facilitate their aspirational journey - we're not going to do everything, we can't and we're not going to pretend we can, but the idea is we can help them take the step to where they want to go and to help them latch onto the idea of what digital empowerment can do.''
He says there are many areas where he can help from assisting people to connect with family to giving people the tools to be able to do what they need to do in a world where being confident in the digital world is becoming increasingly important.
''The idea of connection is really important with us. For example, we can help people connect with their children and grandchildren so they can then bridge that global divide, especially during Covid if they can't see their kids for months.
''If connection is what they are after, we have to do some of the foundational things like teach them how to use a smartphone and some basic stuff like how to go online.''
He says other areas where people may struggle is accessing online banking with the number of physical banks reducing, accessing social services online, advising on what is available to students, businesses and community groups, as well as advice on identifying scams and helping people interact with the council online.
''A lot of people are disconnected from anyone they trust, but we want them to know they can come to the library and feel safe and secure in the knowledge that the way we are teaching them is the safe was to do it,'' says Amanda.
''Little things like that are nothing to us but are a huge impediment to some people,'' says Greg.
Some don't have the skills while others, in remote areas, don't have the required internet access.
The process has already started with Greg visiting Maketū.
''I was asking, what do they need? And making it as friendly and as non-threatening as we can. There's a wealth of things we can provide to outreach in the community where people are disadvantaged because of knowledge isolation.''
The work will also open up the library's digital resources.
''We have a multitude of databases we can use for just about everything - everything is on our databases and all you need is a library card and you can access everything,'' says Amanda.
''On our website we have Niche Academy where you can go and learn how to make a PowerPoint presentation or how to put together a document. Niche Academy has little video tutorials to learn from, so as long as you have a library card you have access to the whole world.
''When we talk to people in the community they say 'I didn't know you did that', so it's letting people know what we do in the community. We have digital classes, drop-in tech sessions, but what we are looking at doing with Greg is looking outside, in the community, and taking things out to the community.
''Perhaps we will do a drop-in session on whatever basis that community wants us to do it, so it's going out there meeting them and finding out what that community wants, because each place is going to be different.
''We are so excited about this role because it's something that is so needed in the community as well - someone to go out and connect with those non-traditional library users,'' says Amanda.
