Browsing the Spirit: Applying Library Browsing Theory to Storefront Church Engagement

This study applies browsing theory from library and information science to the spiritual and social engagement practices of congregants in storefront churches. Drawing on Chang’s multidimensional framework and Peyton’s two original studies—Browsing Impact on the Correlation Between Library Visits and Library Circulation and Collaborative Information Behavior: Storefront Church Gospel Communities of Musical Practice—the article explores how congregants “browse” worship spaces in search of ministerial, aesthetic, and communal fit. In the mixed-method library study, a Pearson correlation coefficient of r = 0.667 (p < .001) was found between library visits and physical circulation, indicating a statistically significant, strong positive relationship. Qualitative observations further revealed how ambient cues shaped patron behavior. In the church study, 60% of collaborative cues occurred through ambient signals rather than direct instruction, and retention correlated with shared repertoire and improvisational flow. By reframing spiritual participation as a browsing process, this study offers insight into how cultural, gender-based, and racial complexities shape congregational retention and belonging.