PRESENTATION

Presentation Description:

What does it look like when a library becomes a place for students to recharge, reconnect and feel heard – a space not just designed for study but for balance? Can and should libraries really help students feel calmer, more connected and more supported during the pressures of university life?

The Wellbeing Space project at UTS Library set out to explore exactly that. Designed in collaboration with students, wellbeing professionals, and library staff, the space reimagines what library environments can offer beyond books and study spots. It’s a low-sensory, welcoming corner of campus where students can slow down, connect with peers, and access support ranging from mindful activities, wellbeing resources and peer-led chats to one-on-one guidance from wellbeing coaches and smooth escalation to professional services.

Using design thinking and service design principles, the project team co-created a student-centred service model that blends informal wellbeing activities with professional support and provides clear pathways to help when it’s needed. The result? A living example of how libraries can drive authentic placemaking and create spaces that meet students where they are at to ultimately foster belonging and build trust.
Guided by student research and grounded in co-design, UTS Library partnered with the Student Services Unit and ActivateUTS to create a shared, cross-organisational model that put student voices at the centre. From early ideation and prototyping through to implementation and evaluation, students helped define what “wellbeing on campus” really means in practice, from what helps, what hinders, to what makes them feel at home.

Join this session to hear valuable insights from piloting the space: the challenges, surprises, and small wins that made a big difference. Like how a vibrating sensory pod has become the number one study spot and how to bring together polished spaces on a shoestring budget. Discover how we used student feedback to shape programming, aesthetics, and service delivery and see how libraries can lead in creating student-first, wellbeing-focused environments that are both playful and practical; creating an environment where study, rest, and wellbeing naturally overlap.

Attendees will walk away with practical ideas for:
• applying design thinking and service design to wellbeing initiatives in library settings,
• using participatory methods to meaningfully engage students in co-design,
• embedding wellbeing into the library experience in scalable, sustainable ways,
• building partnerships that extend the library’s role as a trusted, community-building presence on campus.

Beyond a case study, this presentation invites a conversation about the evolving role of libraries in higher education. Explore what it means for a library to lead in creating student-first wellbeing-focused environments and how libraries can balance the need for quiet, focus and safety with warmth, connection and play.