Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 M. A., Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Bibliotherapy involves the systematic use of books to help people cope with their mental, physical, emotional, developmental or social problems. The etymology of the term bibliotherapy (biblio-is the Greek word for books and, therapy comes from therapeia, meaning to help medically). The important goals of bibliotherapy include: relieving emotional or mental pressure; developing an individual’s self-concept; communicating new values and attitudes with regard to the problem; and providing clients with alternative solutions to the problem. Many of the research in this field has been done by researchers and enthusiasts of Library and Information Science. So that, in recent years, many students have written dissertations and articles in this field. Due to the sensitivity of the bibliotherapy method and its interdisciplinary nature, and since bibliotherapy is a process that is carried out step-by-step, and at each stage requires specialization and special skill of health professionals or librarians, it is necessary to research according to the views of the two groups of claimants in this work, i.e., the specialists in the field of Library and Information Science and the field of Psychology. In order to achieve this Purpose “Identify how to implement the clinical bibliotherapy from the perspective of Library and information professionals and Psychology professionals with an emphasis on the role of librarians.”
Methodology: The research sample consisted of 61 of professionals who hold at least one degree in Library and Information Science or a degree in Psychology, and have at least one book, a research, or a compilation article published in the journals approved by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology or the Ministry of Health, Therapy and Medical Education in the field of bibliotherap. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire (web-based) containing 6 closed questions and 4 open questions and 45 items. The items in this questionnaire were extracted from the literature review of Iranian and foreign studies that were written in the field of bibliotherapy. SPSS software was used to analyse the collected data.
Findings: The findings of the demographic section show that out of the 48 respondents who completed the questionnaire, 28 people (58.3%) were from the field of Library and Information Science and 20 (41.7%) from the field of Psychology.The results indicate that the psychologists with an average of 4.45, counselors with an average of 4.40, librarians with an average of 4.25 are the main people involved in the implementation of clinical bibliotherapy. The most important personality, moral and knowledge characteristics and skills of bibliotherapists are respectively as follows: motivation, creativity, confidentiality and experiential periods in the related areas. The most important task of a librarian is to identify information sources, with an average of 4.65. The results show that the most important task of other people (including a psychologist, a counselor or a social worker) are approving the list of books before they are bought by librarians (with an average of 4.46), and good contact and relationship with clients by an average of 4.44. Also, it could be concluded that the most important methods for implementation of bibliotherapy are “creative bibliotherapy” and “group bibliotherapy”.
Disscusion: Sinse librarians as individuals normally engage in their profession with a wide range of information sources, and also, due to continuous interaction with different people, they can be the best choice among many others, for effectively communicating with people in the implementation of clinical bibliotherapy. However, since the target audiences of clinical bibliotherapy are people with emotional and behavioral problems, therefore, in addition to recognizing books and library expertise, psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors are also seem necessary to partake in remedies. Therefore, with all these experts as a team, bibliotherapy will have the greatest impact in fulfilling the therapeutic needs of those who are suffering from personal, moral and behavioral deficiencies.
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