Kawerau librarian Janice Tekii has been awarded a $3000 scholarship to expand her knowledge of digital library services, with the aim of bringing new ideas and opportunities back to her community.

Tekii is the youth librarian and second-in-charge at Kawerau Library and has received the 2026 Jean S. Wright Award through Te Puna Foundation.

The award is aimed at smaller community libraries serving populations of fewer than 15,000 people, providing opportunities for professional development and learning.

The scholarship will fund professional development at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington from November 17 to 20, covering travel, accommodation and food.

Tekii will have the opportunity to meet the people behind the National Library’s digital services and learn more about how digital resources are developed, delivered and made accessible to communities.

She said she was particularly interested in understanding how larger library organisations developed their digital services and how those approaches could be adapted to suit smaller communities such as Kawerau.

“We’re a small community, and what works in bigger areas doesn’t always work here for us,” she said.

“I really want to see how I can take that and apply it to our hapori, where our understanding of things is different and the way that it’s done is different.”

The programme will cover digital resources such as online databases, digitisation, digital preservation and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Tekii said she was looking forward to meeting the people responsible for developing these services and understanding the thinking and processes behind them.

“It’s no good having all these things if they’re not accessible and there are barriers. We are trying to remove those barriers the best that we can.”

Originally from Kawerau, Tekii spent about 22 years living in Australia before returning home with her husband and children in 2020.

She has worked at Kawerau Library for six years, progressing from a part-time library assistant to her current role through the New Zealand Library Partnership Programme.

With a background in operations and IT, she also acts as the library’s primary digital support person, helping staff and members of the public navigate technology and online resources.

Tekii said one of the most rewarding parts of her job was helping people overcome their uncertainty around technology.

“I like to make sure that people can come with a problem and leave with a solution,” she said.

She said digital technology could create anxiety for people who were unsure how to use it, but helping them build confidence could make a significant difference.

The library had previously run initiatives such as Stepping Up for Life, which helped older people develop digital skills, particularly as more services moved online during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Tekii said she was also proud of the library’s free school holiday programmes for children and the welcoming environment it provided for the community.

She hopes the knowledge and professional connections gained through the scholarship will help strengthen the library’s services, improve digital access and create further learning opportunities for local residents.

Te Puna Foundation trustees said they were impressed with the detail and thought Tekii had put into her application and looked forward to welcoming her to the National Library.