Assessing Library Service Value by Contingent Valuation Method in Xi'an

Abstract

This study focuses on the relationship library service and residents' willingness to pay for library service in the city of Xi'an. As a means of quantifying an individual's willingness to pay (WTP) for library service, a contingent valuation method (CVM) was employed. A sample of 525 residents was chosen, based on the stratified sampling method. The respondents' WTP was then elicited through a series of face to-face interviews, conducted using a range of hypothetical, open ended scenario questions. The results showed that 74.7% of respondents were able to express a positive WTP, and that the average WTP was 200 RMB per person, per year in Xi'an.