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The Economic Value of Digital Traditional Culture Services in Public Libraries

Siyu Lai
Vol.1, No.6, pp.49-60, 2026 DOI: 10.62051/ajmse.v1n6.06 September 16, 2026
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Abstract: Purpose: This study systematically reviews the service forms, economic value manifestations, value evaluation methods, and existing evidence gaps of digital services for traditional culture in public libraries. It also examines the applicability of relevant analytical frameworks in the case of jade cultural activities.  Method: The literature search includes four conceptual groups, namely public library, traditional culture, digital service, and economic value. The search databases include Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), and Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA). The study also uses Google Scholar for title verification and citation tracing. The search update covers the period up to August 31, 2026. A total of 110 records enter the screening process, among which 68 studies enter full-text assessment, and 30 studies are finally included in the qualitative-descriptive synthesis. The data extraction content encompasses publication year, research region, traditional culture type, digital service form, research method, economic value indicator, and main research conclusions. The study uses the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) as the reference framework for quality assessment. Results: Among the 30 included studies, 15 studies provided direct evidence from public libraries, and 15 studies offered transferable evidence from scenarios closely related to digital traditional culture. 19 studies identified clear digital service forms. 10 studies, accounting for 33.3%, provided evidence on direct economic evaluation or investment and costs; 19 studies, accounting for 63.3%, mainly offerred evidence on indirect value or behavioral transformation; 1 study focused on the economic value evaluation indicator system. The existing economic value mainly manifested as cost savings and resource utilization efficiency, willingness to pay, cultural consumption, return on investment, as well as broader public value and community spillover effects. Conclusion: The existing evidence is relatively sufficient in terms of digital service provision and user participation, while direct monetization evaluation remains insufficient. Subsequent evaluation needs to connect the actual project costs, resource reuse, user benefits, behavioral transformation, and long-term outcomes. At the same time, it cannot directly regard page views, satisfaction, or participation intention as economic value itself.
Keywords: Public Libraries, Traditional Culture, Digital Services, Economic Value, Systematic Review, Cultural Heritage
APA Citation: Siyu Lai (2026). The Economic Value of Digital Traditional Culture Services in Public Libraries. Academic Journal of Management Science and Engineering, 1(6), 49-60. https://doi.org/10.62051/ajmse.v1n6.06

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