Abstract

The advancement of information and communication technology has sparked discussions on the reinterpretation of public library spaces. This study proposes the concept of servicescape as a tool to examine the process through which users form placeness by experiencing the space of public libraries. Servicescape refers to an artificial environment that influences user behavior (approach/avoidance), encompassing both physical surroundings and the social interactions they stimulate. Through an analysis of prior research, this study develops a measurement tool for physical and social servicescape, consisting of eight factors and 49 items. To verify the structural validity of this tool, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. As a result, among the originally developed eight factors—cleanliness, comfort, accessibility, aesthetics, convenience, social density, user homogeneity, and librarian recognition—the factor “comfort” (which lacked distinctiveness) and “social density” (which exhibited low correlation with overall items) were excluded. The final measurement tool was refined to include six factors and 32 items.