There’s something unexpected happening at Hurstville Library on Thursday afternoons. The community meeting room is packed with people in their sixties and seventies, learning how to use smartphones, navigate government websites, and avoid online scams.

The library’s digital literacy program launched six months ago with modest expectations. They thought maybe a dozen people would show up. The first session had 35. They’ve now expanded to three sessions per week and there’s a waiting list.

I visited last Thursday to see what’s drawing such strong interest and to talk to participants about why they’re there.

What the Program Covers

The program is run by two librarians—Michael and Priya—who developed the curriculum based on the most common questions they were getting at the reference desk.

The core topics are practical and specific: how to use MyGov and access Centrelink online, how to set up and use email, how to spot scam messages, how to use WhatsApp to stay in touch with family, how to shop online safely, and how to use banking apps.

These aren’t abstract digital skills. They’re direct responses to the reality that more and more essential services are moving online, and people who aren’t comfortable with technology are being left behind.

The format is hands-on. Participants bring their own phones or tablets. The instructors walk through each task step-by-step on a projector, then help individually as people try it on their own devices.

It’s slow and patient. There’s no assumption of baseline knowledge. If someone doesn’t know how to open an app or what a browser is, that’s okay. They’ll explain it.

Who’s Attending

The participants I spoke with ranged from early sixties to mid-eighties. Most were migrants or children of migrants—Chinese, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern backgrounds.

The common thread: they’re feeling increasingly excluded from daily life because they can’t navigate digital systems.

Helen, 72, told me she came to the program because her GP practice stopped taking phone appointments. Everything has to be booked through an app or website now. She didn’t know how to do it and felt embarrassed asking her children for help every time she needed an appointment.

“I’m not stupid,” she said. “I just never learned this stuff. Nobody taught us.”

After three sessions, she can now book her own appointments, check test results online, and email her doctor’s office. Small things, but they’ve given her back independence she was losing.

Another participant, George, 68, came because he wanted to stay in touch with grandchildren who’d moved to Melbourne. His kids set up WhatsApp on his phone, but he didn’t really know how to use it. Now he’s sending photos and videos to his grandkids regularly.

“It makes a difference,” he said. “I feel like I’m part of their lives again.”

The Scam Education Component

One of the most valuable parts of the program is scam awareness. The instructors spend an entire session showing participants examples of scam texts, emails, and calls, and teaching them how to recognize red flags.

This is desperately needed. Scams targeting older Australians are endemic, and people who aren’t digitally literate are the most vulnerable.

Priya showed me some of the scam examples they walk through: fake MyGov messages claiming you need to verify your Medicare details, fake Australia Post notifications about missed deliveries, fake banking alerts asking you to click a link.

To someone who’s grown up with digital technology, these often look obviously suspicious. But if you’re not familiar with how legitimate organizations communicate online, they can be convincing.

Several participants told me they’d received messages that they now realize were scams, but at the time they weren’t sure. One person had clicked on a link and entered personal information before realizing something was wrong.

The program’s emphasis on “if you’re not sure, don’t click—call the organization directly” is simple but effective advice.

The Social Element

Something I didn’t expect: the program has become a social gathering as much as an educational one.

People arrive early and chat before the session starts. They stay afterward to help each other troubleshoot issues. Some have formed friendships and meet for coffee between sessions.

Michael mentioned this wasn’t part of the original plan, but it’s become one of the program’s most valuable aspects. Many of the participants are socially isolated. Coming to the library once a week gives them a reason to leave the house and interact with people.

The shared experience of learning together and struggling with the same frustrations creates connection. They’re not alone in finding this stuff confusing.

The Language Challenge

About half the participants are from non-English speaking backgrounds. While most speak functional English, the technical terminology and the language used in digital interfaces can be challenging.

The instructors try to use plain language and avoid jargon. Instead of “navigate to settings,” they say “tap the gear icon.” Instead of “enter your credentials,” they say “type your username and password.”

They’ve also developed printed handouts with step-by-step instructions and screenshots that participants can take home and refer to. These are particularly helpful for people who need extra time to absorb information or who want to review steps later.

There’s been interest in running sessions in Mandarin and Cantonese, given Hurstville’s significant Chinese population. The library is looking for volunteers who could lead those sessions.

What’s Working

The program’s success comes down to a few things:

It’s free. Many of the participants are on pensions and couldn’t afford to pay for digital literacy training.

It’s local and accessible. Hurstville Library is centrally located and easy to reach by public transport.

It’s taught by patient, non-judgmental instructors who understand that not everyone has grown up with this technology.

It focuses on practical tasks that directly improve participants’ daily lives, rather than abstract digital skills.

It provides individualized help, not just lecture-style teaching.

The Demand Problem

The challenge now is capacity. The library has space and staffing for three sessions per week, but demand is higher. The waiting list currently has about 40 people.

They’re looking for volunteers with teaching experience or technology backgrounds who could help run additional sessions. There’s also interest in developing an advanced program for people who’ve completed the basic sessions and want to learn more.

Why This Matters

The gap between people who are digitally literate and people who aren’t is widening, and it’s creating real exclusion.

When government services move online, when healthcare providers require app-based booking, when banking goes digital, when shopping and entertainment shift to the internet—people who can’t navigate these systems are left out.

That’s not just inconvenient. It’s a form of social and economic exclusion that particularly affects older people, migrants, and people with lower incomes.

Programs like this library’s digital literacy sessions are one way to bridge that gap. They’re not solving the systemic problem—the fact that so much of essential infrastructure is moving to digital-only formats without adequate support for people who aren’t equipped to use them.

But they’re providing practical help to real people who are struggling right now.

What Other Libraries Are Doing

I checked with a few other libraries in the St George and Sutherland area. Most offer some form of digital literacy support, but the formats vary.

Some do one-on-one appointments where people can book time with a librarian to get help with specific issues. Others run occasional workshops. A few have partnerships with organizations like Good Things Foundation that provide structured digital literacy curricula.

Hurstville’s approach of regular, ongoing group sessions with a structured curriculum seems to be working particularly well. The group format creates community and makes it sustainable for library staff.

How to Get Involved

If you’re interested in attending the program, you can register at Hurstville Library or call (02) 9330 6151. There’s currently a wait, but they’re adding people to the list as spaces become available.

If you’re comfortable with technology and interested in volunteering to help run sessions, the library is actively looking for support. Email [email protected] if you’re interested.

The Bigger Picture

What’s happening at Hurstville Library is a small-scale response to a large-scale problem. As more of society moves online, the people who can’t or don’t move with it get left further behind.

The solution isn’t just education—though programs like this help. It’s also about designing digital services that are genuinely accessible, maintaining non-digital alternatives where possible, and recognizing that not everyone has the same relationship with technology.

But in the absence of systemic solutions, community-level programs like this library’s digital literacy sessions are making a real difference for the people who attend.

Helen can book her own GP appointments now. George can send photos to his grandkids. Mary knows how to recognize scam messages. These are small wins, but they matter.

And judging by the crowds showing up every Thursday afternoon, they matter to a lot more people than anyone initially expected.