Reader Development and Mental Wellbeing: The Accidental Bibliotherapist

Abstract

It has been said that the role of the librarian is to provide the right book to the right person at the right time. It is certainly true that librarians are information providers who utilise their skills to connect library users with fiction and nonfiction texts through a variety of stock management and reader development techniques. They also make a positive contribution to the mental health and wellbeing of those who utilise the library in their community, through informal acts such as helping people find books, discussing books with readers, and fostering reading groups. Adapted from the source document.