Bibliotherapeutic Service with Picture Book for Children and the Elderly: The practical Experience in Taiwan

Healing reading has become a trend in Taiwanese society. Healing reading is essentially bibliotherapy, which refers to reading as an approach to promote emotional well-being and mental health. In Taiwan, Bibliotherapeutic services provided by libraries are on the rise. People who suffer from stress and accumulating negative emotions could increase their risks of getting mental illness, especially during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Picture books are often used in therapy for kids who has been separated from their caregivers or parents. Those books can also help the elderly who are alone or lonely. Hence, the Douliu City Picture Book Library provides bibliotherapeutic services by using picture books to help readers cope with negative emotions to maintain mental health.