Can ritual behavior influence user identity? A study of library ritual activities effects

Against the backdrop of increasing challenges related to institutional identification and sustainability, ritual marketing offers a viable approach to library marketing by enhancing user loyalty and fostering more enduring user–library relationships. Library ritual activities—defined as symbolic, collective, and emotionally charged occasions—differ fundamentally from routine cultural or promotional events in their emphasis on formalized procedures, shared attention, and the co-creation of meaning among participants. A systematic examination of library ritual activities and their effects on user identity can contribute to the optimization of such activities and the enhancement of libraries’ social value. While existing studies have investigated the effects of library ritual activities and examined how library marketing activities influence user identity, the mechanisms through which library ritual activities shape users’ self-identity, cultural identity, and institutional identification with the library remain largely underexplored. This study conducts interviews with librarians and users to explore the potential impacts of library ritual activities on users. Building on these insights, Interaction Ritual Chain theory and Social Identity Theory are integrated to develop a conceptual model explaining how library ritual activities influence user identity, which is subsequently tested through experimental methods. The findings indicate that library ritual activities exert positive effects on users’ self-identity, cultural identity, and library identity. For participatory users, perceived value mediates the effects of library ritual activities on self-identity and cultural identity, while emotional energy mediates the effects on library identity and cultural identity. For observational users, perceived value demonstrates a strong mediating effect on the relationships between library ritual activities and both cultural identity and library identity. Overall, library ritual activities enhance user identity by increasing perceived value and generating emotional energy. These results suggest that libraries may strategically employ ritual-based activities as a marketing approach to strengthen their influence and promote high-quality development.