Libraries in the Context of the Concept of the «Experience Economy»

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical justification for the applicability of the concept of the “experience economy” to the analysis of contemporary library activities, as well as to determine the potential of libraries as institutions capable of creating valuable user experiences in response to new social demands. Research methods. An interdisciplinary approach was used, combining theoretical analysis of the concept of the “experience economy” (J. Pine, J. Gilmore) with a contextual study of transformations in the library sphere. The main methods are: comparative-analytical method – to compare the theoretical foundations of the experience economy with the practice of library activities; content analysis of publications from Ukrainian professional sources devoted to the transformations of libraries in sociocultural, educational, and communicative aspects; the synthesis method – to generalize examples of institutional changes and their interpretation within the concept of impressions; causal analysis – to establish a connection between the application of elements of the “economy of impressions” and the growth of the social influence of libraries during a crisis period. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that for the first time a systematic theoretical justification of the feasibility of applying the concept of “experience economy” to the analysis of library activities in the Ukrainian sociocultural context has been carried out; interpretation of the library as a space for creating non-monetary but valuable user experience within the interdisciplinary paradigm; the proposed typology of contexts for applying the experience economy in libraries (cultural, social, educational, psychological, communication and marketing, economic), which allows assessing their impact on the quality of life of the community. Conclusions. For a public library, the concept of the “experience economy” is not so much a business model in the strict sense as a metaphorical framework that allows for a rethinking of the institution’s role in the context of contemporary consumer culture, audience expectations, and the demands placed on public spaces. It orients library activities toward creating meaningful, emotional experiences as a means of engagement, education, and social integration. The rationale for applying the concept of the “experience economy” in librarianship lies in the transformation of libraries’ roles within the contemporary sociocultural environment: they are increasingly moving beyond the traditional functions of storing and providing information, instead becoming spaces for emotional engagement, cultural interaction, psychological support, and social cohesion.