Trust and the role of the public library in the integration of refugees: The case of a Northern Norwegian city

Abstract

This article discusses how public libraries contribute to the generation of social capital and social trust among refugees participating in library programmes while enrolled in a compulsory government introductory programme to Norwegian language and society. The students’ experiences with the library have made them more trusting toward the institution of the public library and library patrons in general. Complementing earlier studies, the paper shows that library programmes for immigrants can contribute to the creation of social trust. Library programmes can play an important part in facilitating and speeding up trust-creating processes, making integration less traumatic, although trust in unknown people (generalized trust) remains low, before, during, and after the completion of the programmes.