AGEN.Z is a design team consisting of five students from the University of Technology Sydney- Alex Woodward, Gillian Co, Emma-Jane Lancaster, Napha Sinxayvoravong, and Zohal Sidiqi. As part of the UTS Shopfront Community Program, which pairs student teams with clients from community-based organisations, AGEN.Z tackled the project of designing an inexpensive solution for Street Library Australia that encouraged reading, community, and an increased number of registered street libraries.
The students reached out to the passionate Street Librarians of the Librarian’s Corner facebook group, where librarians shared the joys and challenges of running a Street Library. AGEN.Z realised that the librarians’ desire to give back to their communites was fueled by the connections they made through their Street Libraries and the goodwill it spread in their neighbourhood. The AGEN.Z team also took a hand at building their very own Street Library, and through trial and error understood how they could make the process easier for book-loving newcomers.
At the end of their project the students had designed a carefully written build guide and several community-driven promotional videos, to raise awareness and inform people about Street Library Australia and how to take part. This collabration between UTS students and Street Library Australia has been a meaningful and fulfilling experience. Alex, Gillian, Emma, Napha, and Zohal hope their work makes real change to the organisation and the selfless community that supports it.
