Bibliotherapy as a wellness strategy for Librarians: Supporting mental, emotional & physical well-being in libraries

Abstract

Librarians operate within increasingly complex and demanding environments characterised by rapid technological change, expanding instructional responsibilities, emotional labour, and evolving user expectations. While librarians play a critical role in advancing institutional teaching, learning, and research missions, their own mental, emotional, and physical well-being is often under-prioritised. Growing evidence within library and information science literature highlights high levels of stress and burnout among academic librarians, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable wellness interventions.

This paper explores bibliotherapy as the intentional use of literature to support psychological and emotional well-being and as a practical and profession-aligned strategy for enhancing librarian wellness. Drawing on a qualitative literature review of scholarly research, professional reports, and case studies, the study examines stress factors within academic librarianship and evaluates institutional wellness initiatives. It proposes a structured framework for integrating bibliotherapy into broader organisational wellness programmes through curated reading lists, reflective discussion groups, expressive writing practices, and peer support networks.

By aligning librarian wellness initiatives with institutional priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), this study positions bibliotherapy as a cost-effective, sustainable, and empowering approach to fostering resilience, reducing burnout, and strengthening the academic library workforce.