Abstract

It is generally accepted that cultural capital is constructed through cultural environments that facilitate the cultural activities of individuals. Although public libraries foster the cultural environment and support various cultural activities, there is controversy about whether public libraries still affect the formation of cultural capital in the current evolved cultural environment. This research empirically verified the roles of public libraries in the formation of cultural capital by conducting a survey targeting public library users. As a result, public libraries as cultural institutions play an important role in providing opportunities to access and utilize cultural resources and to experience various cultural activities, which are connected to the formation of different types of cultural capital. In addition, public libraries function to close the cultural divide and social disparities by providing equal opportunities to construct cultural capital for community members.