CORY CASTOE

I think the three kinds of trust described (strategic, personal, organizational) can be best visualized as an ouroboros symbol. Each different trust is needed to to build trust in the former and latter trust beside it.

 

The most important positive aspect of trust is building a stronger community. The library manager shows trust and respect to their employees, giving them equal stake in their library, and not exercising authority or power over the employees. The trust given to the employee in turn gives ownership of the success of the library to the employee, which causes them to personally strive for the library’s success. This sense of ownership is passed down to the patron, as each patron is made to feel as if they are a VIP in the library. Their needs and desires are met, and the product of this interaction is the patrons greater trust in the library, as well as the patron’s desire to see the library succeed. The patron then gives their time, resources, etc. to the library, so “their” library continues to thrive, and is able to reach out further into the community where it exists. This is evidenced by Varheim in the article, stating, “people treated fairly and as equals through this learning experience become more trusting toward people in general, whereas institutions that target specific segments of clients have negative trust effects.”

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Building trust should be at the forefront of every library managers mind, and to constantly consider the questions and ideas of trust. With trust, the library will only be able to succeed; without trust, it will only be able to fail.