The University takes an holistic and positive approach to the health of our students and staff and the fiction collections are a valuable part of the wellbeing provision at our libraries. Many of us have a lot of stress and anxiety in our lives and we look for new, tangible ways to deal with these anxieties. Regular readers have been shown to sleep better and have lower rates of depression than non-readers. Reading is an ideal way to relax and calm those anxious nerves.
Reading can also allow for a greater perspective on the world and on others. Fiction can take us outside our own particular bubble, allowing us to see a different view on the world. Reading is a chance to live through the lives of others without stepping outside of our comfort zone or even traveling anywhere else. It can transport our imagination to places we’ve never been before and, perhaps, never even knew existed. This knowledge may put us in a better position to understand the different people around us and improve our ability to react to them.
