The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/0264-0473.htm

Towards
Towards better library services: better library
an investigation of factors services

affecting tourists’ satisfaction

with “library 1 cultural tourism” 749
Ying Pan and Lia H. Sun Received 25 March 2021
Revised 12 July 2021
School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China Accepted 10 September 2021

Heqing Yang
Department of Library, Northeast Normal University,
Changchun, China, and
Jianming Zheng
School of Information Management, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Abstract
Purpose – “Library þ cultural tourism” (LCT) is a new direction for the sustainable development of
libraries, but few scholars have researched it from a tourist perspective. The purpose of this paper is to
identify what factors affect tourist satisfaction (TS) with LCT, reveal the interaction among these factors and
provide strategies for better library services.
Design/methodology/approach – This study collected 5,308 comments on Tianjin Binhai Library from
three popular online travel communities. Grounded theory was adopted to identify what factors affect TS
with LCT and reveal the interaction among these factors.
Findings – The results indicated that TS with LCT was affected by complex factors related to tour plans,
tour expectations, cultural characteristics, environment, support services and emotions. Cultural
characteristics, environment and support services were impacted by tour plans and tour expectations, which
directly or indirectly affected TS mediated by emotions. TS further influenced their expectation of their next
tour.
Originality/value – This paper uncovered critical problems with LCT using a case study of Tianjin Binhai
Library. The results provide a reference for library practitioners to develop better library services for tourists
and regular users/readers.
Keywords Library services, Cultural tourism, Tourist satisfaction, Grounded theory,
User-generated comments, Online travel communities, Library 1 cultural tourism
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
Cultural tourism (CT) refers to tourism activities that immerse tourists in the natural
history, art, philosophy and memory institutions of other countries/regions (Lee, 2020; Long,
2014; Modeva, 2018). It includes four elements: tourism, use of cultural resources, user
experience and tourists (McKercher and Cros, 2002). For example, tourists would go to a
particular place for a particular concert or festival triggered by the motivation for The Electronic Library
Vol. 39 No. 5, 2021
pp. 749-766
This work was supported by the China National Social Science Fund [grant numbers 19ATQ001]; © Emerald Publishing Limited
0264-0473
and the Jiangsu Province Social Science Fund [grant numbers 19TQC006]. DOI 10.1108/EL-03-2021-0070
EL participating in a cultural program (Modeva, 2018). “Library þ cultural tourism” (LCT)
39,5 refers to a tourism activity where tourists visit the library as the destination (Feng, 2019; Li
and Liu, 2019; Violeta and Sanja, 2010) and libraries are active participants in cultural
tourism (Modeva, 2018). Li and Liu (2019) argued that LCT enhances the attractiveness of
libraries and cultural tourism and promotes the development and utilization of library
spaces, activities and information services. LCT contributes in the following six ways:
750 (1) storing collections about local history and manuscripts related to celebrities (Toki
c
and Toki
c, 2017);
(2) functioning as a tourism attraction owing to their cultural and historical heritage
value (Lavranos et al., 2020);
(3) organizing cultural exhibitions and events;
(4) developing tourist souvenirs with cultural characteristics (Chu and Xia, 2020);
(5) providing online information services; and
(6) setting up reading areas in culturally scenic locations (Li and Liu, 2019).

LCT is a new direction for the sustainable development of libraries (Li and Liu, 2019) and is
the next trend in CT (Fleury, 2019).
Prior studies have examined the role of the library in CT (Toki
c and Toki
c, 2018) and
emphasized that LCT is a new perspective in the development of libraries (Modeva, 2018;
Toki
c, 2014). However, most studies have focused on the perspective of the library and few
studies have considered the connection between tourists and LCT. Research on tourist
satisfaction (TS) has increased dramatically and has identified factors that affect TS with
CT. These studies have revealed that TS with CT are impacted by demographic
characteristics (Williams, 2014), the perceived value of CT (Jo et al., 2014) and local activities
(Luo, 2016). Most literature has referred to factors affecting TS of historical-cultural tourism,
creative-cultural tourism and ethnic-cultural tourism (Huete-Alcocer et al., 2019), but few
studies have addressed TS with CT in the context of the library. Thus, it is essential to
address this gap and provide better library services for different types of users.
The Tianjin Binhai Library (TBL) in China, known for its white futuristic designs and
luminous spherical auditorium, has attracted large crowds since it opened in October 2017.
According to Time (2018), TBL topped the list of the “World’s 100 greatest places in 2018.”
This study takes TBL as a case because: it is a typical example of LCT in China with a
sufficient number of tourists and high impact and user-generated comments (UGC) posted
on online travel communities can be accessed since its opening, which ensures data
continuity. This study analyzed UGC about TBL posted on online travel communities to
address the following questions:

Q1. What factors affect tourist satisfaction with “library þ cultural tourism”?
Q2. What is the interaction among these influencing factors?

2. Literature review
2.1 Library þ cultural tourism
Modeva (2018) argued that libraries provide a more complete and credible assessment of
culture compared to going to other destinations (e.g. attractions, shops and casinos). King
and Scarrott (1999) first realized the importance of libraries in the field of tourism and
suggested that libraries collect resources related to tourism and that librarians offer advice
about available resources for researchers. Whitman (2003) highlighted the role of libraries in Towards
CT, particularly as event centers that appeal to visitors. Bovero (2009) measured librarians’ better library
interest in CT and found that they lacked specific training and recommended creating a
specialized documentation and learning center about CT.
services
Researchers have also focused on the crucial roles of tourist collections and information
services in LCT. Libraries can improve tourism literacy (Violeta and Sanja, 2010) and
increase children’s interest in good literary works (Wiegand, 2011). As a cultural institution,
libraries may also play a significant role in the CT development of a region (Violeta and 751
Sanja, 2010) by providing visitors with comprehensive knowledge about the local culture
and helping them participate in educational and cultural activities (Spentza and Kyriakaki,
2013). Toki
c (2014) recommended that libraries establish tourism websites with direct online
access to library materials, support services and other information. Libraries’ cultural
heritage collections could also provide marketing and popularization of CT (Toki
c and
Toki
c, 2017). Kumarasingha (2017) suggested that providing CT information for foreign
tourists could help libraries cooperate with the tourist industry so libraries could be user-
friendly places for local and foreign tourists.
The value of LCT has gained considerable scholarly attention because of libraries’
attractive buildings and interiors. They can also present the local culture through digital
technology (Lyapkova, 2019; Seifi and Kazemi, 2019) and offer creative spaces for CT
(Lavranos et al., 2020). In addition, Chu and Xia (2020) suggested that libraries strengthen
their infrastructure and improve services for both tourism and leisure. However, most
research has examined LCT from the library perspective by exploring what libraries can do,
but few scholars have attached importance to what tourists and the local population want.

2.2 Factors affecting tourists’ satisfaction with cultural tourism

Initially, TS was measured as the interaction between a tourist’s experience at the
destination area and their expectations about that destination (Pizam et al., 1978) and
positive affective reactions to the tourism experience (Babin and Griffin, 1998). More
recently, TS has been seen as tourists’ experiences with destination attributes and has been
ranked on how satisfying the experience was (Pestana et al., 2019). Oliver (1997) rated users’
satisfaction level as inadequate, adequate or excessive. In addition, some scholars have
measured user satisfaction with libraries by investigating the extent to which users agreed
or disagreed using a Likert five-point or seven-point scale (Likert, 1932; Shi et al., 2004).
Factors affecting TS include expectations and motivations before touring (Bosque and
Martin, 2008), the perception of service quality (Chua et al., 2015) and difference in
expectations (Bosque and Martin, 2008) during the tour and emotions after touring (Babin
and Griffin, 1998).
Several factors affect TS with CT including demographics, emotional needs, cultural
characteristics and tourism services. In terms of demographic factors, Williams (2014)
analyzed the influencing factors of CT community participation in Kisumu County and
found that a high income level and a high education level have positive effects on CT
community participation. Li et al. (2020) assessed visitors’ TS to the Macau Science Center
and found that age, education level and geographic origin had significant impacts on
satisfaction, but there was no significant relationship between gender and satisfaction. For
emotional needs, Zhang and Jiao (2016) found that the main factors affecting CT quality
included charm, knowledge, tradition, entertainment and authenticity. For cultural
characteristics, Luo (2016) measured TS with Tianzifang, M50 and Hongfang in Shanghai
and found that theme features, creativity and environment for exchanging culture were
important. In contrast, Lulcheva and Kirovski (2019) examined the factors affecting CT
EL development in Bulgaria and found that culture had important impacts on TS with CT.
39,5 Finally, for tourism services, Zhang and Chen (2018) suggested that TS was influenced by
publicity, price level and sanitary conditions. Despite these findings on TS with CT,
research on factors affecting TS with LCT is scarce and the interaction among these factors
is unclear.

752 3. Methodology
A case study method is appropriate for this study as it provides a very detailed, intensive
and in-depth study of a phenomena or event (Universal Class, 2019). To reveal what factors
affect TS with LCT and the interaction among influencing factors, this qualitative study
takes TBL as the case.

3.1 Data collection

UGC reveals the real-time sentiments of participants (Wang et al., 2019). Kapilevich et al.
(2016) measured TS with CT based on UGC, confirming the feasibility of using UGC and
providing a theoretical basis for analyzing comments.
Selection criteria for potential tourist-related platforms included if it was:
 related to tourism with a large number of active users;
 widely used and anyone could access the comments; and
 more than 50 comments on TBL.

Based on the criteria, this paper selected Trip Advisor (the world’s largest online travel
community), Hornet’s Nest (a well-known online travel community in China) and Dianping
(the largest third-party review community in China). Data collected from these platforms
included user names, release times and comments. On 6 May 2020, the authors collected
5,308 comments. After eliminating duplicate comments and blank comments, the sample
consisted of 5,304 comments (27 from Trip Advisor, 75 from Hornet’s Nest and 5,202 from
Dianping).

3.2 Data analysis

After collecting the data, the researchers conducted open and substantive data coding based
on grounded theory. The core strategy of grounded theory is to conduct rigorous coding
procedures, including open coding, axial coding and selective coding (Strauss and Corbin,
1998). The authors manually coded the data at the comment level and each comment was
coded as one data point. Initially, one author numbered each data point and used the random
function of Excel to select one-third (1,768) of the serial numbers, which were used for the
theoretical saturation test. Then, two coders coded two-thirds (3,536) of the data separately
using NVivo 11 software. To ensure the validity of the codebook, the two coders wrote
extensive memos with peer debriefing, discussed regularly, identified inconsistencies and
verified the codes. The triangulation strategy guaranteed the trustworthiness of the study.
While openly coding the data, comments were carefully reviewed to elicit concepts. The
coders also wrote up memos about definitions, properties and relationships among the
codes. Important variables and concepts emerged from the data, such as book authenticity,
special cultural activities and security. As there were numerous and overlapping initial
concepts, the coders sorted out the tree nodes (e.g. “cultural characteristics”), merged the
cross concepts and eliminated the initial concepts with less than three repetitions in the
subsequent categorization process (e.g. “excessive satisfaction”). The concepts (a1–a91) and
subcategories (A1–A20) emerged. While axial coding the data, the relationships were
examined and 20 subcategories were integrated into seven core categories: B1 tour plans, B2 Towards
tour expectations, B3 cultural characteristic, B4 environment, B5 support services, B6 better library
emotions and B7 satisfaction. Categories, subcategories and concepts are listed in Appendix.
While selecting and coding the initial data, the remaining one-third of the selected data were
services
coded to test theoretical saturation and no additional data were found to enrich or modify
the categories. The relationships between the seven core categories emerged including the
relationship between TS with LCT and tour expectations, the interaction of planning factors
and experience factors. 753

4. Findings
A three-stage model of TS with LCT was identified based on the process of tourists
participating in LCT. Each stage represents a turning point in the LCT tour. Specifically, the
planning stage refers to pre-tour activities, the experience stage is the tour and the sharing
stage is post-tour activities.

4.1 Planning stage

4.1.1 Tour plans. Tourists make pre-tour plans including when to visit, how long to spend
and how to get there (Fardous et al., 2019). In this study, tour plans included tour time (date
and duration), tour companions and means of transportation. Tourists were inclined to visit
TBL on non-holidays to avoid crowds. One tourist commented that the line entering TBL
was too long on National Day. The tour duration impacted tourists’ experience. Owing to
limited time, 58.1% of tourists mentioned that they appreciated the architecture style and
took pictures rather than immerse themselves in library collections or cultural atmosphere.
Tourists mentioned tour companions including their children, friends, relatives and
colleagues. Most parents (75.0%) mentioned that TBL was a good place to take children on
holidays to feel the reading atmosphere and they tended to pay more attention to the
security and the Children’s Reading Room. In addition, 16.8% of the tourists went to TBL to
take photos and read with friends or family. Additionally, some visitors who visited with
work colleagues attached importance to the library collections, function divisions and
cultural atmosphere.
Regarding the means of transportation, the transportation facilities and the library’s
geographical location were significant factors for tourists. However, 8.3% described TBL’s
location as “remote,” as it took them more than an hour to travel from the city center via
public transport. One tourist said he wanted to go, but avoided it for several years due to the
traffic. Furthermore, some tourists also commented that it was convenient to drive to TBL,
but the wrong navigation address on Dianping led to a long detour.
4.1.2 Tour expectations. Tour expectations refer to the individual’s beliefs/predictions
about how a destination is likely to meet their anticipated experience (Higgs et al., 2005).
Tour expectations are formed before touring based on prior knowledge of the destination
from non-experiential channels (e.g. advertising) and personal experience (Ye et al., 2019).
Tour expectations have three subcategories: information resources, tour preference and tour
motivation.
Before touring, tourists gathered relevant information from various channels such as
WeChat (a social networking/messaging application), Twitter and media coverage. Many
tourists (34.4%) mentioned that pretty pictures in WeChat Moment stimulated their interest
in visiting TBL, especially pictures showing the serenity of the building and interior design.
Another 31.1% of the tourists got information from the Chinese Joy of Life TV series with
TBL as the setting. Recommendations on online travel communities significantly and
effectively attracted tourists. A sample comment is, “When I saw this Internet celebrity
EL library on Dianping accident[al]ly, I decided to visit it.” Some comments (13.1%) mentioned
39,5 that they learned about TBL through media coverage or friend recommendations.
Tourists’ preferences varied widely and impacted their experience. Some tourists (16)
visited TBL owing to the graceful surroundings and 16 others were intrigued because TBL
was a landmark building in Tianjin. However, 39 tourists dropped by accidentally (e.g.
going to Tianjin for business).
754 In this study, tour motivations included relaxation, reading, childcare, taking photos and
job requirements. For instance, “The library is a summer resort due to the suitable
temperature and clean environment” and “If I have free time, I would like to come here to
read.” However, the tourists who were attracted by TBL’s fame were interested in taking
photos.

4.2 Experience stage

4.2.1 Cultural characteristics. The cultural characteristics include the library collections,
library buildings, cultural atmosphere and special cultural activities. Concerning the library
collections, an important concept is “book authenticity.” In the library, there is decorative
wallpaper with a book ocean pattern, instead of real books. The comments showed two
opposing attitudes towards the “fake books”: critics commented, “Very disappointing! All of
the effort and money I spent just to see fake books on display,” while supporters appreciated
it, “Displaying fake books is creative! It does not affect the reading atmosphere because
there are true books inside the inner rooms.” Many tourists (42.6%) also praised the
collections owing to clear classifications, rich types and sufficient quantity, while others
complained that the books were placed out of the visitors’ reach and they were unsatisfied
with the book quality.
Concerning the library buildings, tourists mentioned the architecture, function divisions
and construction areas. The unique architecture was attractive, with 72.6% of the tourists
praising it as a stunning building. The function divisions, specifically the areas for the
disabled, reading areas for children and elderly, the digital audio-visual studio, together
with the music room, were frequently appreciated. However, 18 tourists commented on the
ineffective signposts, the deficiency of dynamic and static separation and floor distribution.
Another 45 tourists commented that the areas were not as large as expected, especially the
reading areas.
The cultural atmosphere, specifically and the reading atmosphere was frequently
mentioned. Tourists (25) described TBL as a good place to feel the artistic atmosphere. A
few tourists thought TBL had a strong cultural exchange atmosphere because many foreign
friends went there for sightseeing and cultural exchange. However, 16.9% of the comments
criticized the poor reading atmosphere due to crowded tourists, disruptive photographers
and insufficient books.
Special cultural activities refer to various activities in TBL (e.g. movie projections,
documentary broadcasts, art exhibitions and reading activities). Several tourists (30)
mentioned the art exhibitions with various themes and appreciated the cultural souvenirs.
4.2.2 Environment. The outdoor environment includes the weather conditions, nearby
attractions, geographic position, transportation facilities, eating locations and shopping
locations. One tourist commented on how the weather affected his experience: “Sunny days
are rare, it’s a good time to visit the library with friends.” Nearby attractions (e.g. theater,
museum and park) also helped TBL attract tourists by forming the agglomeration effect of
scenic locations. Some tourists (62) emphasized the importance of the eating locations and
nearby shopping.
 The indoor environment includes light, cleanliness, noise, temperature and air quality. Towards
Tourists commented that the light was bright for reading and photographing during the day better library
but dim at night. For cleanliness, many tourists (54.3%) thought the environment was clean,
but 4.1% believed more cleaning was needed because the bookshelves were covered with
services
dust. In addition, 17 tourists complained that the inside was stuffy due to crowds and a
pungent smell because of the recent renovation.
4.2.3 Support services. Support services refer to various services (e.g. security,
consultation, book recommendations and universal borrowing) as well as staff and ancillary 755
facilities. TBL has established security rules to reduce accidents, but 15.3% of the tourists
questioned the rationale for the rules, such as “Security is ridiculously strict; you can’t enter
with cameras but you can take your phone. Attention! Anyone wearing slippers will be
turned away.” Regarding the consultation service, tourists complained that sometimes they
could not find a librarian to help them. In addition, 15 tourists were disappointed with the
lack of book recommendations and the universal borrowing service.
The professionalism (e.g. ability and attitudes) of librarians and volunteers significantly
impacted tourists’ experience. Several tourists (45) commented on the orderly maintenance
and librarians’ politeness. They also praised the librarians for their quick responsiveness to
their service requests. Furthermore, 35 tourists appreciated the professional volunteers for
shelving books and the specialized book classification. However, others suggested that TBL
increase the number of staff because there were so many tourists.
The user-friendly ancillary facilities were praised including the lockers, wireless
networks, charging equipment, electronic reading machines, public umbrella, hot water
machines, self-service devices and smart-learning machines.

4.3 Sharing stage

4.3.1 Emotions. The coders initially coded emotions according to the taxonomy developed
by Yoo et al. (1998) with positive and negative emotions. However, while coding the
comments, an additional subcategory, “neutral”, was identified as being relevant to the data
and was added (Table 1).
The positive emotions reflected a positive reaction to LCT. Over half (52.7%) of the
tourists described LCT with emotions, such as pleased, attractive, excited, contented and
proud. However, 21.2% of the tourists made suggestions on the visiting time, transportation,
photo poses and admission notes and shared thoughts about the position of TBL in tourism.
Thus, these emotions were coded as neutral emotions. Regarding negative emotions, due to
the lack of a good reading atmosphere, noisy environment and other factors, many
comments documented tourists’ negative reactions to LCT. Specifically, three emotions –
“ignored,” “displeased” and “angry” – related to Yoo et al.’s (1998) taxonomy. The emotions
“bored” and “disappointed” were added in the coding process.
4.3.2 Tourist satisfaction with library þ cultural tourism. In the view of LCT, the library
is a cultural destination due to its attributes as a cultural institution (Feng, 2019; Li and Liu,
2019; Violeta and Sanja, 2010). Thus, comments concerning transportation, weather, tour
companions, library buildings and indoor environment could reflect TS with LCT. Oliver
(1997) categorized satisfaction as inadequate, adequate and excessive. Initially, the coders
coded the level of TS related to LCT according to the taxonomy developed by Oliver (1997).
However, in the process of coding, “excessive satisfaction” was not obvious and was thus
excluded. Specifically, inadequate satisfaction refers to the TS level as under-fulfillment
owing to the lack of a sufficient reading atmosphere, the noisy environment and other
factors. When a comment indicated no intention to revisit, the coders classified TS as
“inadequate satisfaction.” For example, one tourist commented: “Save your time; don’t come
EL Subcategories Concepts Representative quotes
39,5
Positive emotions Happy “My child and I like to come here to read and learn. Selecting
books for my child is my happiest time.”
Relaxed “The library located in Binhai New District made me feel
relaxed.”
Excited “After the security check, I was very excited about the sea of
756 books.”
Shocked “The appearance of the library is very impressive, which
brings a sense of visual shock.”
Proud “As a native of Tianjin, I am really proud of having more and
more beautiful landmarks in Tianjin.”
Hopeful “I hope that Heping District will also have a library like this
for borrowing easily.”
Neutral emotions Rational thought “I can’t quite understand the positioning of this library. As a
tourist attraction, there is not even a coffee bar in the library.
But in any case, it is a good thing to let more people have the
opportunity to get close to books.”
Sharing advice “You can get off the subway at Tanggu [station] and take a
taxi is the best way to go there.”
Negative emotions Bored “I felt amazed when I first went to this library, but I couldn’t
take pictures as beautiful as others, which made me feel bored
after a while.”
Table 1. Annoyed “It took an hour and a half to come here, however, I felt angry
Subcategories and about the boring books.”
concepts, with Disappointed “There was the discrepancy between the online photos and
representative quotes reality; I felt disappointed after entering.”

here. Spend some nice hours with your family at the beach instead.” Adequate satisfaction
implies a TS level with LCT as over-fulfillment. When a tourist fondly discussed their
experience, expressed that he/she would visit again or recommended that others visit, the
coders coded TS as adequate satisfaction.

4.4 Interaction of factors affecting tourist satisfaction with library þ cultural tourism
After illustrating the factors affecting TS with LCT, in this part, the interaction of these
factors was revealed (Table 2).
Tour plans have a direct effect on the experience factors (i.e. cultural characteristics,
environment and support services). Specifically:
 Tour times and tour companions directly affect the experience of cultural characteristics.
 Tour time, means of transportation are associated with the environmental
experience of LCT.
 Tour time and tour companions have a direct impact on the support services
experience of LCT.

Tour expectations have a direct effect on the experience factors. Specifically:

 Information resources, tour preferences and tour motivations are directly associated
with the experience of cultural characteristics.
 Tour preferences and tour motivations directly impact the environmental
experience of LCT.
 The support services experience varied owing to the different tour motivations.
Relationships
B1 Tour plans (tour time)!B3 Cultural
characteristic!B6 Emotions
B1 Tour plans (tour companions)!B3 Cultural
characteristic!B7 Satisfaction
B1 Tour plans (tour time)!B4
Environment!B6 Emotions!B7 Satisfaction
B1 Tour plans (means of transportation)!B4
Environment!B7 Satisfaction
B1 Tour plans (tour time)!B5 Support
services!B6 Emotions
B1 Tour plans (tour companions)!B5 Support “My kid (4) was not even allowed to go up any stairs even
services!B7 Satisfaction
B2 Tour expectations (information resources)! “I visited the library due to the promotion on WeChat.
B3 Cultural characteristic!B6 Emotions
B2 Tour expectations (tour preferences)!B3
Cultural characteristic!B6 Emotions!B7
Satisfaction
B2 Tour expectations (tour motivations)!B3
Cultural characteristic!B7 Satisfaction
B2 Tour expectations (tour preferences)!B4
Environment!B7 Satisfaction
B2 Tour expectations (tour motivations)!B4
Environment!B6 Emotions!B7 Satisfaction
B2 Tour expectations (tour motivations)!B5
Support services!B6 Emotions!B7
Satisfaction
B7 Satisfaction!B2 Tour expectations
Representative quotes
Towards
better library
“I didn’t have enough time; I just stayed for a while to services
appreciate the architecture; it’s boring!”
“I took my child to the Children’s Reading Area, where it
is very suitable for kindergarten children and it is worthy
of revisiting.”
“I visited the library on National Day. The queue at the 757
entrance was so long and the indoor environment was
very stuffy. . . Very disappointed, I will not go again.”
“We got there via public transport. The library is really
far away from the city center and requires more than an
hour of travelling. It is a waste of time to get there. As
such, it is not a must see. Only go if you have extra time.”
“During the COVID-19, the health code must be
presented before entering the library. . . The strict
security check made me feel relieved; it was a very
pleasant experience.”
in the company of her mother. . . Save your time; don’t
come here.”
The architecture is amazing!”
“I major in design, so I have a great interest in the
landmark building in Tianjin. . .The sense of scene is not
as good as online photos. . . It is not worth coming
again.”
“Some books were fake! I strongly suggest that you don’t
come here with the purpose of reading.”
“We dropped by the library, there are many places in the
mall for eating. . .It is a worthwhile place.”
“The suitable temperature is beneficial for relaxation. . .
A pleasant experience; I will come again next week!”
“I went to the library to return books. You can operate on
the self-service equipment and use sterilization Table 2.
instruments. Very convenient, recommended visiting!” Representative
“Very spectacular; it is worth visiting again. I will take quotes of the internal
my child to feel the cultural atmosphere.” relationships

The experience factors affect TS with LCT, in two ways:

(1) These factors have a direct effect on TS with LCT.
(2) These factors affect TS with LCT mediated by emotions.

TS with LCT is directly associated with tour expectations. Specifically, tourists with adequate
TS showed intention to revisit, which affects their expectation of future tourism.
The interaction among these influencing factors is as follows. Tour plans and tour
expectations significantly impact the experience factors and, in turn, affect TS with LCT
directly or indirectly mediated by emotions. In addition, TS with LCT could further
influence tourists’ next tour expectations. Thus, this paper proposes a theoretical framework
of TS with LCT (Figure 1).
To sum up, the results revealed the influencing paths of tour plans, tour expectations,
cultural characteristics, environment, support services and emotions on TS with LCT, and
the interaction among these factors to shed light on the library services demands and
EL
39,5 Experiencing

Planning Cultural characteristic

• Library collections Sharing
• Library buildings
758 Tour plans
p • Culture atmosphere
• Tour time • Special cultural activities Emotions
• Tour companions • Positive emotions
• Means of transportation • Neutral emotions
Environment • Negative emotions
• Outdoor environment
Tour expectations
p • Indoor environment
• Information resources Satisfaction
• Tour preference • Inadequate satisfaction
Figure 1.
Supporting
pp g services
• Tour motivations • Adequate satisfaction
Theoretical • Staffs
framework of TS • Ancillary facilities
with LCT • Service items

appreciation of tourists. The results also uncovered the library service demands of readers.
Specifically, they hoped to have a good reading atmosphere without disruptive
photographers and a pungent smell. Thus, this study uncovered the advantages and
disadvantages of LCT and library services, which provides a theoretical reference for
establishing better library service strategies for cultural resources, spatial layout, service
facilities, publicity, information services and staff training.

5. Discussion
Building on prior studies on LCT (Kumarasingha, 2017; Lavranos et al., 2020; Lyapkova,
2019; Seifi and Kazemi, 2019; Toki
c, 2014; Toki
c and Toki
c, 2018; Violeta and Sanja, 2010)
and TS with CT (Babin and Griffin, 1998; Bosque and Martin, 2008; Chua et al., 2015), this
paper makes two major contributions. First, this study illustrates the three stages (planning,
experience and sharing) of LCT from tourists’ perspectives, providing a more nuanced
interpretation of how the influencing factors (tour plans, tour expectations, cultural
characteristic, environment, support services and emotions) affect TS with LCT. The results
provide strategies for better library services from a tourist perspective. Second, this study
examined the interaction among factors and proposed a theoretical framework of TS with
LCT. The results expand the established theoretical hypotheses in the field of LCT and
provide a new direction – LCT – for better library services and sustainable development of
libraries.
The results showed that tour plans and tour expectations in the planning stage are
prerequisites, affecting tourists’ experience and indirectly impacting TS with LCT. The
tourists attached great importance to the tour time, tour companions, means of
transportation, information resources, tour preference and tour motivations. The underlying
demands reflected by these factors are experiencing LCT without wasting time, meeting
companions’ needs, having convenient transportation and having diverse services for
different groups. This finding has implications for library practitioners on how to improve
library services by developing strategies to limit the number of tourists during peak periods,
such as making appointments through an online program (Shao et al., 2019); providing Towards
accurate traffic information and convenient transportation facilities; and providing better library
personalized services for both tourists and readers (Miao, 2020).
The results also revealed that the tourists’ experience with LCT directly impacted TS
services
with LCT, or indirectly through tourists’ emotions. In addition to documenting what tourists
appreciate (e.g. cultural souvenirs, attractive cultural collections, professional staff and
organized maintenance), this study illustrated many negative experiences (e.g. ineffective
signposts and irrational rules). The comments also revealed challenges for readers, such as a
759
poor reading atmosphere due to crowded tourists, disruptive photographers and a pungent
smell. Fundamentally, the voices of tourists and readers reflect the same problem: the
library has not yet adjusted the corresponding services to the newly added CT functions and
has not balanced the demands of tourists and readers. Thus, to help both tourists and
readers have a positive experience in LCT, the current services should be enhanced in the
following ways:
 design a dynamic and static separation for different types of users and plan the
tourist routes;
 provide high-quality cultural resources, such as establishing a distinctive cultural
brand by integrating special cultural collections, cultural souvenirs and handicraft
exhibitions (Keith et al., 2017; Roy and Alonzo, 2003);
 integrate advanced technology into CT facilities to improve efficiency, such as
adding self-service equipment, displaying the CT scene through panoramic images
(Hu et al., 2020; Igwesi et al., 2010);
 improve the staff’s ability and service attitude by training and establishing
feedback mechanisms (Shao et al., 2019);
 pay attention to the nearby attractions, cleanliness of the indoor environment, quiet
atmosphere and convenient transportation facilities; and
 improve the efficiency of security and library services, such as general borrowing
and book recommendation services.

Additionally, the results indicated that TS with LCT could affect tourists’ expectations of
their next tour. Thus, the library needs to increase exposure to relevant information and
stimulate tourists’ continuous interest in LCT by emphasizing the online publicity channels
of the library (e.g. official accounts, mobile applications) and adding information that
combines tourists’ interests and the library’s cultural aspects to stimulate interest and meet
cultural needs (Feng and Xu, 2020). When tourists arrive in an unfamiliar city, public
transportation is a priority considering safety and cost (Park, 2012), so the library can create
promotional videos with accurate traffic information and set up a cultural-themed
compartment on public transportation to help tourists relax on the journey and stimulate
interest.

5.1 Implications
This study has several important theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, most
previous CT studies have established indicators based on mature customer satisfaction
models and employed multiple regression analysis Pérez G
alvez et al. (2020), structural
equation model (Chen, 2019) and factor analysis (Zhang and Jiao, 2016). However, the
research design, data analysis and conclusions have been restricted owing to theoretical
framework constraints. This study adopted grounded theory focusing on UGC from online
EL travel communities to address the constraints and systematically analyzed the theoretical
39,5 framework of TS with LCT. The findings provide a clearer understanding of CT in the
library context and uncover critical problems with LCT, which enriches LCT and TS theory.
Practically, LCT enables libraries to attract more attention and secure additional investment
from the government and public, promoting the sustainable development of libraries. This
study also uncovered critical problems in the development of LCT and library services,
760 which are significant for expanding the CT function of libraries and establishing strategies
for better library services. The findings support practitioners’ decision-making, provide
guidelines for libraries to improve services to meet the needs of different types of users, shed
light on the library’s social service function of spreading local culture and provide a deeper
understanding of LCT for the sustainable development of libraries.

5.2 Limitations and future research

Two limitations should be considered when interpreting the results. First, using a
single case study to explore TS with LCT has limited generalizability, so caution
should be taken in generalizing the findings. However, because there is little
understanding of LCT, a rich description of a single case is warranted as it provides
an in-depth investigation of LCT. Using a single case is one of the best ways to
stimulate new and advanced research in the field (Universal Class, 2019). Future
research can expand the examination of TS with LCT using multiple cases to enhance
the generalizability of the influencing factors. In addition, the data were collected
from three online travel communities, but future research on TS with LCT in other
socio-cultural environments and other platforms is needed.

6. Conclusion
The study identified factors affecting TS with LCT and the interaction among the factors to
promote strategies for better library services. The findings show that TS with LCT is
affected by tour plans, tour expectations, cultural characteristics, environment, support
services and emotions. Tour plans and tour expectations affect tourists’ emotions and
satisfaction through cultural characteristics, environment and support services. Satisfaction,
in turn, influences tourists’ expectations of their next tour. Critical problems with LCT and
library services were also uncovered, which helps us understand TS with LCT and how to
develop better library services in terms of cultural resources, spatial layout, CT facilities,
publicity, information services, security and staff training.

References
Babin, B.J. and Griffin, M. (1998), “The nature of satisfaction: an updated examination and analysis”,
Journal of Business Research, Vol. 41 No. 2, pp. 127-136.
Bosque, I.R.D. and Martin, H.S. (2008), “Tourism satisfaction: a cognitive-affective model”, Annals of
Tourism Research, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 551-573.
Bovero, E. (2009), “Cultural tourism and libraries. New learning needs for information professionals”,
paper presented at the 75th IFLA General Conference and Council, 23-27 August, Milan, Italy,
available at: www.ifla.org/annual-conference/ifla75/index.htm (accessed 4 February 2021).
Chen, X. (2019), “Surveying the music playback experience of museum audiences based on perceived
quality and perceived value”, The Electronic Library, Vol. 37 No. 5, pp. 878-892.
Chu, J. and Xia, L. (2020), “Research on status, problems and countermeasures for library cultural
tourism integration”, Journal of the National Library of China, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 40-50.
Chua, B.L., Lee, S., Goh, B. and Han, H. (2015), “Impacts of cruise service quality and price on Towards
vacationers’ cruise experience: moderating role of price sensitivity”, International Journal of
Hospitality Management, Vol. 44, pp. 131-145.
better library
Fardous, J., Du, J.T., Hansen, P., Choo, K.K.R. and Huang, S.S. (2019), “Group trip planning and
services
information seeking behaviours by mobile social media users: a study of tourists in Australia,
Bangladesh and China”, Journal of Information Science, Vol. 47 No. 3, pp. 323-339.
Feng, J. (2019), “Libraries in foreign cultural tourism”, Library and Information, Vol. 4, pp. 59-65.
761
Feng, J. and Xu, Y. (2020), “5G-smart travel: a new model for the integration and development of library
culture brigade”, Library and Information, Vol. 4, pp. 79-83.
Fleury, M. (2019), “Library tourism could be the next big travel trend”, Huffington Post, available at:
www.huffingtonpost.com.au/fleur-morrison/library-tourism-could-be-the-next-big-travel-trend_
a_22491123/ (accessed 21 October 2020).
Higgs, B., Polonsky, M.J. and Hollick, M. (2005), “Measuring expectations: forecast vs. ideal
expectations. Does it really matter?”, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 12 No. 1,
pp. 49-64.
Hu, Y., Sun, W., Liu, X., Gan, Q. and Shi, J. (2020), “Tourism demonstration system for large-scale
museums based on 3D virtual simulation technology”, The Electronic Library, Vol. 38 No. 2,
pp. 367-381.
Huete-Alcocer, N., L
opez-Ruiz, V.R. and Grigorescu, A. (2019), “Measurement of satisfaction in
sustainable tourism: a cultural heritage site in Spain”, Sustainability, Vol. 11 No. 23, p. 6774.
Igwesi, U., Eke, H.N. and Nwachukwu, V.N. (2010), “Library extension services for hospitality
industries via ICT: potentials for culture and tourism development”, Library and Information
Practitioner, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 100-109.
Jo, W.M., Lee, C.K. and Reisinger, Y. (2014), “Behavioral intentions of international visitors to the
Korean hanok guest houses: quality, value and satisfaction”, Annals of Tourism Research,
Vol. 47, pp. 83-86.
Kapilevich, L., Karvounis, Y. and Zagulova, D. (2016), “Estimation of the parameter of satisfaction with
services in tourism: content analysis of online customer reviews”, SHS Web of Conference,
Vol. 28 No. 2, p. 1052.
Keith, B.W., Taylor, L.N. and Santamaria-Wheeler, L. (2017), “Broadening impact for library
exhibitions and speakers”, Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 57 No. 4, pp. 389-405.
King, K. and Scarrott, M. (1999), “Using libraries for sport, leisure and tourism research”, in Scarrott, M.
(Ed.), Sport, Leisure and Tourism Information Sources, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford,
pp. 51-75.
Kumarasingha, A.P. (2017), “Role of the public library in promoting tourist information services with a
support of formal online information service”, available at: http://repository.kln.ac.lk/bitstream/
handle/123456789/18004/39.pdf (accessed 18 November 2020).
Lavranos, C., Vouvaki-Manousaki, C. and Kostagiolas, P. (2020), “Developing creative ‘spaces’ in
libraries for creative tourism”, Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, Vol. 9 No. 1,
pp. 1-7.
Lee, C.B. (2020), “Qualitative analysis of cultural tourism websites of municipalities in Taiwan”,
Information Technology for Development, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 38-53.
Li, Y. and Liu, X. (2019), “Library þ tourism’: a new direction for the sustainable development of
libraries”, paper presented at the Satellite Meeting, Pythagoreion, Greece, 21-23 August,
available at: http://library.ifla.org/2703/1/S09-2019-li-en.pdf (accessed 2 February 2021).
Li, Z., Ge, Y., Su, Z. and Huang, X. (2020), “Audience leisure involvement, satisfaction and behavior
intention at the Macau Science Center”, The Electronic Library, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 383-401.
Likert, R. (1932), A Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes, The Science Press, New York, NY.
EL Long, B. (2014), “International cultural tourism charter managing tourism at places of heritage
significance (1999)”, in Smith, C. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, Springer, New York,
39,5 NY, pp. 3975-3979.
Lulcheva, I. and Kirovski, S. (2019), “Study of the influence of the factors for the development of
cultural-historical tourism in Bulgaria”, Scientific Papers-Series Management Economic
Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 267-274.
762 Luo, H. (2016), “Tourists’ satisfaction and influencing factors in cultural and creative tourism
destination for tianzifang, M50 and Hongfang in Shanghai”, Resources Science, Vol. 38 No. 2,
pp. 113-119.
Lyapkova, A.A. (2019), “Library tours as a means of development of local history tourism”,
Vestnik Tomskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Kul’turologiya i Iskusstvovedenie,
Vol. 34, pp. 252-258.
McKercher, B. and Cros, H.D. (2002), Cultural Tourism: The Partnership between Tourism and Cultural
Heritage Management, Haworth Hospitality Press, Binghamton, New York, NY.
Miao, B. (2020), “Thoughts on the development of public libraries in the era of integration of culture and
tourism”, Library Work and Study, Vol. 6, pp. 16-22.
Modeva, M. (2018), “Libraries as participants in cultural tourism”, available at: www.researchgate.net/
publication/328725965_Libraries_as_participants_in_cultural_tourism (accessed 30 June 2021).
Oliver, R. (1997), Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer, McGraw Hill, New York, NY.
Park, S.J. (2012), “Measuring travel time and distance in library use”, Library Hi Tech, Vol. 30 No. 1,
pp. 151-169.
Pérez G
alvez, J.C., Fuentes Jiménez, P.A., Medina-Viruel, M.J. and Gonz
alez Santa Cruz, F. (2020),
“Cultural interest and emotional perception of tourists in WHS”, Journal of Quality Assurance in
Hospitality and Tourism, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 345-366.
Pestana, M.H., Parreira, A. and Moutinho, L. (2019), “Motivations, emotions and satisfaction: the
keys to a tourism destination choice”, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management,
Vol. 16, pp. 1-9.
Pizam, A., Neumann, Y. and Reichel, A. (1978), “Dimensions of tourist satisfaction with a destination
area”, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 314-322.
Roy, L. and Alonzo, D.L. (2003), “Perspectives on tribal archives”, The Electronic Library, Vol. 21 No. 5,
pp. 422-427.
Seifi, L. and Kazemi, R. (2019), “The role of Iran public libraries in development and promoting of
tourism services”, Library Philosophy and Practice, No. 2953, available at: https://
digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/2953 (accessed 16 November 2020).
Shao, J., Ying, Q., Shu, S., Morrison, A.M. and Booth, E. (2019), “Museum tourism 2.0: experiences and
satisfaction with shopping at the national gallery in London”, Sustainability, Vol. 11 No. 24,
pp. 1-16.
Shi, X., Holahan, P.J. and Jurkat, M.P. (2004), “Satisfaction formation processes in library users:
understanding multisource effects”, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 30 No. 2,
pp. 122-131.
Spentza, E. and Kyriakaki, A. (2013), “The role of libraries in the tourism development: the case of
Koraes library on Chios Island, Greece”, paper presented at the 5th International Scientific
Conference, Rhodes, Greece, 2 June, available at: www.researchgate.net/publication/340085047
(accessed 2 November 2020).
Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1998), Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for
Developing Grounded Theory, 2nd ed., Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Time (2018), “The world’s 100 greatest places of 2018”, available at: http://time.com/collection/worlds-
greatest-places-2018/ (accessed 26 June 2021).
Toki
c, K. (2014), “Content analysis of the Croatian tourism library websites in relation to the Towards
information literacy”, in Kurbanoglu, S., Spiranec, S., Grassian, E., Mizrachi, D. and Catts, R.
(Eds), Information Literacy: Lifelong Learning and Digital Citizenship in the 21st Century,
better library
Springer International Publishing, Berlin, pp. 763-773. services
Toki
c, K. and Toki
c, I. (2017), “Cultural heritage in libraries as a resource for the development of
tourism: the case of Eastern Croatia”, paper presented at the 6th International Scientific
Symposium Economy of Eastern Croatia, May, Osijek, Croatia, available at: www.researchgate.
net/publication/318128858 (accessed 4 November 2020). 763
Toki
c, K. and Toki
c, I. (2018), “Tourism potential of libraries”, Tourism, Vol. 66 No. 4, pp. 443-460.
Universal Class (2019), “Strengths and weaknesses of case studies”, available at: www.universalclass.
com/articles/business/a-case-studies-strengths-and-weaknesses.htm (accessed 12 November
2020).
Violeta, T. and Sanja, L. (2010), “The role of libraries in the development of cultural tourism with special
emphasis to the bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt”, UTMS Journal of Economics, Vol. 1 No. 2,
pp. 107-114.
Wang, H.C., Chiang, Y.H. and Sun, Y.F. (2019), “Use of multi-lexicons to analyses semantic features for
summarization of touring reviews”, The Electronic Library, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 185-206.
Whitman, J.R. (2003), “Libraries and tourism”, available at: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.
phpURL_ID=13678&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (accessed 16
November 2020).
Wiegand, W.A. (2011), “Tourist attraction: the Moore library of Lexington, Michigan, 1903-1953”, The
Library Quarterly, Vol. 81 No. 3, pp. 251-276.
Williams, O.D. (2014), Factors Influencing Community Participation in Cultural Tourism at Kit Mikayi
in Kisumu County, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ye, S., Wu, J.S. and Zheng, C.J. (2019), “Are tourists with higher expectation more sensitive to service
performance? Evidence from urban tourism”, Journal of Destination Marketing and
Management, No. Vol. 12, pp. 64-73.
Yoo, C., Park, J. and MacInnis, D.J. (1998), “Effects of store characteristics and in-store emotional
experiences on store attitude”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 42 No. 3, pp. 253-263.
Zhang, Y. and Chen, H. (2018), “An empirical study on the influencing factors of tourists’ cultural
tourism decision-making”, paper presented at the International Conference on Education Reform
and Management Science, Beijing, 22 April, available at: https://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.
aspx?dbcode=IPFD&filename=LRCM201804002065 (accessed 4 November 2020).
Zhang, Y.M. and Jiao, S.T. (2016), “Research on the tourist perception of ethnic arts and cultural tourism
products and influencing factors: a case study of ‘Liu Sanjie impression’ live performance”,
Journal of Northwest Normal University (Natural Science), Vol. 1, pp. 124-129.

Further reading
British Library (2019), “Discover how our increasingly digital world could change the future of
collections”, available at: www.bl.uk/events/imaginary-cities/ (accessed 20 December
2020).
Fatima, I., Mukhtar, H., Ahmad, H.F. and Rajpoot, K. (2018), “Analysis of user-generated content from
online social communities to characterize and predict depression degree”, Journal of Information
Science, Vol. 44 No. 5, pp. 683-695.
Fornell, C., Johnson, M.D., Anderson, E.W. and Cha, J. (1996), “The American customer satisfaction
index: nature, purpose and findings”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 60 No. 4, pp. 7-18.
Goh, K.Y., Heng, C.S. and Lin, Z.J. (2013), “Social media brand community and consumer behavior:
quantifying the relative impact of user and marketer-generated content”, Information Systems
Research, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 88-107.
EL Liu, H., Li, X., C
ardenas, D.A. and Yang, Y. (2018), “Perceived cultural distance and
international destination choice: the role of destination familiarity, geographic distance
39,5 and cultural motivation”, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, Vol. 9,
pp. 300-309.
Yaari, E., Baruchson-Arbib, S. and Bar-Ilan, J. (2011), “Information quality assessment of community
generated content: a user study of Wikipedia”, Journal of Information Science, Vol. 37 No. 5,
pp. 487-498.
764 Zhong, Q. (2000), “Develop tourism information and serve the tourism economy”, Library Development,
Vol. 5, pp. 70-71.
Appendix
Categories Subcategories
B1 Tour plans A1 Tour time
A2 Tour companions
A3 Means of transportation
B2 Tour A4 Information resources
expectations
A5 Tour preference
A6 Tour motivations
B3 Cultural A7 Library collections
characteristic
A8 Library buildings
A9 Culture atmosphere
A10 Special cultural activities
B4 Environment A11 Outdoor environment
A12 Indoor environment
B5 Support A13 Staffs
services A14 Ancillary facilities
A15 Service items
B6 Emotions A16 Positive emotions
A17 Neutral emotions
A18 Negative emotions
B7 Satisfaction A19 Inadequate Satisfaction
A20 Adequate Satisfaction
About the authors
Ying Pan is currently a doctoral student at the School of Information Management, Nanjing
University. Her research interests include libraries’ cultural tourism, information behavior and rural
libraries. She has published in the Journal of Academic Libraries, Library Tribune and other library
and information science journals in China.
Lia H. Sun is assistant Professor at the School of Information Management, Nanjing University.
She earned her PhD in Library and Information Science from Nanjing University. Her research
Towards
better library
services
Concepts
a1 Tour date, a2 Tour duration
a3 Child, a4 Kinsfolk, a5 Friend, a6 Colleague
a7 City public transport, a8 Driving, a9 Train 765
a10 Teleplay, a11 Online travel community, a12 Friend
recommendation, a13 WeChat or Twitter, a14 Media
coverage
a15 Graceful surrounding, a16 Tianjin landmark, a17
Drop by
a18 Participating in activities, a19 Childcare, a20
Relaxation, a21 Work required, a22 Reading, a23
Borrowing books, a24 Attracted by library reputation
a25 Book classification, a26 Book placement, a27 Book
quantity, a28 Book novelty, a29 Book authenticity, a30
Book quality, a31 Type of books
a32 Architecture, a33 Function divisions, a34
construction area of the library
a35 Interactive, a36 Cultural exchange atmosphere, a37
Artistic atmosphere, a38 Reading atmosphere
a39 Lectures, a40 Movie projections, a41 Documentary
broadcasts, a42 Art exhibitions, a43 Cultural souvenirs,
a44 Performances, a45 Reading activities
a46 Weather conditions, a47 Nearby attractions, a48
Geographic position, a49 Transportation facilities, a50
Eating and shopping locations
a51 Light, a52 Cleanliness, a53 Noise, a54 Crowding,
a55 Temperature, a56 Air quality
a57 Attitude, a58 Ability
a59 Lockers, a60 Wireless network, a61 Charging
equipment, a62 Carpets, a63 Seats, a64 Electronic
reading machines, a65 Multimedia equipment for
children, a66 Literature retrieval machines, a67 Public
umbrella, a68 Reading pavilions, a69 Sterilization
instruments, a70 Water dispensers, a71 Self-service
equipment
a72 Security, a73 Book recommendation, a74 Universal
borrowing service, a75 Consultation service
a76 Happy, a77 Relaxed, a78 Excited, a79 Shocked, a80
Proud, a81 Hopeful
a82 Rational thought, a83 Sharing advice
a84 Bored, a85 Annoyed, a86 Disappointed
a87 Complaint, a88 No intention to revisit Table A1.
a89 Revisit intention, a90 Recommend to others Coding systems
EL interests include social informatics, information behavior and public cultural service. She has
published more than 30 research articles. Lia H. Sun is the corresponding author and can be
39,5 contacted at: sunhl@nju.edu.cn
Heqing Yang is a librarian at the Department of Library, Northeast Normal University. She earned
her master’s degree in library science from Northeast Normal University. Her research has been
published in journals including Library and Information Service, Journal of Academic Libraries and
Library Tribune. Her research interests include user analysis, library marketing and academic library
766 services.
Jianming Zheng is Professor at the School of Information Management, Nanjing University. He
earned his PhD in history from Nanjing University. His research interests include bibliography and
public library services. He has published more than 200 research articles and six books.

For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com