For centuries writers and readers have used books to process their experience, unburden themselves, and connect with one another. For any given reader and any given distress, there is almost certainly a book that can offer support — in fact, the greatest difficulty lies in helping readers navigate the tremendous numbers of books available to them. It was a desire to create a tool that would do just that, which led the Center of Alcohol Studies Library to undertake our Reading for Recovery project, and we hope the result will help librarians, counselors, and readers alike find the tools they need to realize the transformative potential of reading. Funded through a Carnegie Whitney grant from the American Library Association, this pilot project gathers material available online or through Rutgers University Libraries that might be relevant for those grappling with their own addiction or the addiction of a loved one.
The therapeutic use of reading is known as bibliotherapy. Many librarians wind up acting as accidental bibliotherapists when patrons ask for reading recommendations, and we hope this tool can help them better serve such patrons without laying claim to psychiatric expertise. This project envisions reading and/or group discussion as a supplement to recovery programs and more traditional forms of therapeutic support, not a substitute.