Abstract:

The dynamics and lifestyle of modern individuals create a number of prerequisites for increasing stress levels and cause emotional and psychological imbalance. The need to find alternative forms to help the individual cope with all these issues determine the relevance and highlights the main problem that the paper addresses. It is main goal is to present the conception and methodology of the scientific project, titled "Study of Attitudes to the Therapeutic Potential of Reading in Atypical Situations for the Individual" (December 2020-December 2023, National Science Fund, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria) and the new decisions suggested.

Scholars from all over the world are working on the possibilities of therapeutic/healing reading, starting from the basic statement that literature influences readers through cognition, emotion and/or behavioral patterns. The magic of oral or written artistic speech, whether in its pure form or in combination with music and movement, has always been one of the therapeutic tools in the cultural history of mankind. Understanding the possibilities of bibliotherapy in today's dynamic environment is of interest to researchers and practitioners, both in the Member States of the European Union and a round the world. The project entitled Study of Attitudes to the Therapeutic Potential of Reading in Atypical Situations for the Individual, realized by scientific team of University of Library Studies and Information Technologies offers an interdisciplinary fundamental study. It will outline the parameters of the perception of the therapeutic functions of reading by the population in our country; the level of knowledge of bibliotherapy in Bulgaria and its application in libraries and the degree of intuitive use of reading as a therapeutic tool in different age groups in atypical situations for the individual (in particular the period of social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic). By examining the attitudes during the imposed changes that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the everyday life of Bulgarians, it will be established to what extent reading is used as a mechanism to support the preservation and achievement of emotional and mental balance in critical and unnatural situations for the individual. The project is based on the premise that therapeutic reading is an alternative form of dealing with stress caused by extraordinary circumstances. The research methodology includes systematic, interdisciplinary, inductive and heuristic approaches. Implementation of systematization and summary of good world practices, analysis and synthesis of the main thematic areas in the field of bibliotherapy research will be applied. Two surveys will be conducted, based on the author's survey tools. The project conception is in full compliance with the National Strategy for Development of Research in the Republic of Bulgaria 2017-2030 and National Strategy for Promoting and Improving Literacy (2014-2020): Reading ‒ the Key to Increasing the Literacy of the Nation, as well as the goals of the Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027) of the EC.

Keywords:

Bibliotherapy, therapeutic potential of reading, Covid-19 pandemic, Bulgaria, University of Library Studies and Information Technologies.