Bibliotherapy in Practice: Initiated a new service at the University System of Sri Lanka

Abstract

University education creates a transition period from school education to the real world through the provision of professional knowledge, soft skills, and different experiences. Students learn to deal with challenges, overcome conflicts, adapt to new environments, and cope with stress in university life, not only in engaging academic fields. Students face different problems in this new environment for these reasons. University counselors provide solid mental support with various tools to prepare them for higher-level challenges in the future. Bibliotherapy is a popular tool for them, although it is not widely used in the context of Sri Lanka yet. This service was initiated at the University of Moratuwa Library in Sri Lanka, where the researcher has been practicing bibliotherapy as a counselor for years. This work presents a new approach, which is very important in university libraries, dependent not just on traditional services, but on serving users. This article aims at sharing the researcher’s experience with other professionals and motivating them towards it.