"We're in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world!  Arm yourselves!"
--The Doctor
Davies, R. T. (2006, October 6). “Doctor Who” Tooth and Claw.

As a librarian in a public library, I serve every patron of the library where I work. It doesn’t matter who they are, where they live, where they are from, who they voted for, how much money they have, or who they love. I care about every patron, even if I don’t know them.

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Building patron relationships is key to serving my community, so I make sure to listen to patrons without judgment. Listening is the first step to building a relationship. Being non-judgmental and patient builds trust and strengthens the relationship. My goal is to make the process effortless for the patron. People come to the public library with different needs: finding a new book or author, research projects for school, quick reference information, or even a personal interest research project. It’s important to understand the emotions involved in their search and meet them where they are. Whether it’s providing a patron with a general idea of where to look for the information they need, retrieving the information for them, or providing them with step-by-step instructions, I want every patron to know that their needs are important.

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Patrons exist outside the walls of our library, too. Not everyone can come to the library, and not everyone who could come to the library does, so it’s important to engage in outreach activities and partner with community organizations.

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When a patron concludes their interaction with me, whether it be in the library, on the phone, or at an outreach event, I want to have met all their information needs. and made them feel like a valuable part of the community. Most of all, I want them to tell their friends and neighbors what an amazing experience they had at the library.