School libraries and bibliotherapeutic services for vulnerable children

Abstract

Bibliotherapy entails the use of literature to support the emotional, social and psychological well-being of individuals and has become a veritable tool for addressing the needs of vulnerable children through the administration of carefully selected books and other literary forms. Hence, for school libraries to be effective in meeting the bibliotherapeutic needs of vulnerable children, the services of trained professional librarians and therapists are needed. Bibliotherapy services can either be given through self-help reading or as a part of a guided therapeutic process with trained professionals; either way, vulnerable children are assisted through emotional expressions and validations, increased self-awareness and self-discovery, empathy and perspective-taking. To successfully implement bibliotherapeutic services in school libraries, trained professionals need to identify vulnerable children, make appropriate referrals, conduct initial and detailed assessments, and develop individualised plan of support. In order to ensure the overall success of any bibliotherapeutic services in any school Library, librarians and library staff need to be trained on bibliotheraphy techniques, as this will ensure effectiveness and efficiency in their services, as bibliotherapeutic services in school libraries are indispensable in addressing the needs of vulnerable children.