A theoretical model and empirical analysis of university library readers' spatial cognition

Abstract

PurposeThe practice of renovation and construction of university libraries is flourishing, but how to attract readers to use the library is an issue that urgently needs to be explored. Spatial cognition is a subjective judgment of a person's tendency to take action in the future and implies behavioral intention. Based on the sensory–image–cognition relationship, a theoretical model of university library readers' spatial cognition is conducted, and the influencing factors and mechanisms of spatial cognition are explored based on empirical data to provide theoretical references for spatial practices in university libraries.Design/methodology/approachA visual and art-based mental map approach is introduced based on a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire is mainly used for the specific evaluation of spatial use and the breakdown of the detailed elements, while the mental map method is mainly used for the evaluation of readers' spatial cognition. Relevant empirical data are collected from the library of the Zhejiang University of Technology.FindingsThe results indicate that readers' spatial sensory experience and mental imagery have positive effects on readers' behavior via the mediator spatial cognition, readers' spatial sensory experience and mental imagery have a positive effect on readers' spatial cognition and spatial cognition has a significant effect on readers' behavior.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is to construct a theoretical model of readers' spatial cognition and to explore the factors that have an impact on spatial cognition and the influence of cognition on behavior. This provides a more rational and in-depth thinking paradigm for the study of university library space and provides theoretical references for library practice.

Editorial: 40th anniversary: contemporary library research

“…Libraries are transforming from a space to store books into integrated cultural, meeting and learning spaces that tend to operate 24/7 (Yip et al , 2019; Chan et al , 2020a; Kim et al , 2020; Leung et al , 2022; Ho et al , 2022a,b; Jiang et al , 2022; Wong and Chiu, 2023). Noh (2022) investigated the library as a complex cultural space and showed that library users participated and enjoyed its services and programs.…”

Are Librarians Ready for Space Transformation? A Systematic Review of Spatial Literacy for Librarians

“…One is that this paper adopts a literature review approach to analyze the spatial literacy of librarians by focusing on the trajectory of literature related to library space. However, not all librarians and practitioners document their experiences of space construction and spatial research ideas, so in order to be able to fully investigate librarians' space management competencies, an empirical investigation should also be conducted, and another study by the current research team is an empirical study of space services and management [87]. Secondly, our selection of literature was limited to peer-reviewed journals and dissertations.…”