Immersion, telepresence and behavioral intention: understanding user responses to virtual library tours

Purpose This study aims to investigate how immersive and telepresence experiences in virtual tour services in college libraries affect user enjoyment, attitude and involvement, and how these factors influence visit intention (VI). Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach using structural equation modeling based on SmartPLS. Data were collected by distributing questionnaires to 297 students from four universities in Indonesia that provide virtual library tours. Findings Telepresence has a stronger impact than immersion on enjoyment, attitude and involvement, with enjoyment being the most significant predictor of VI. Immersion contributes primarily to involvement. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence that telepresence, rather than immersion, is the key driver of user enjoyment, involvement and attitude, significantly influencing VI to the physical library. It reveals that emotional engagement, particularly enjoyment, is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention. By identifying the dominant role of affective factors over demographic variables, this study offers actionable insights for designing virtual library tours that effectively convert virtual engagement into real-world library visits.