This study examines how Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals use LinkedIn for scholarly engagement, treating professional visibility, research communication and academic networking as related but conceptually distinct dimensions of that engagement.
This quantitative study used a structured online questionnaire, distributed via non-probability purposive and snowball sampling, to collect data from 183 LIS professionals. Responses were analysed in JASP using Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests.
The Chi-Square test showed that age and frequency of LinkedIn use are not related (χ2 = 8.701, p = 0.465). The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that perceived professional visibility differs significantly by frequency of use (χ2 = 11.18, p < 0.011), and that professional engagement differs significantly by perceived institutional support (χ2 = 7.123, p = 0.028). Effect sizes for both significant relationships were small to moderate, indicating that frequency of use and institutional support are meaningful but not sole predictors of perceived visibility and engagement.
The study relies on self-reported, cross-sectional data from LinkedIn-using LIS professionals, predominantly based in India and with limited international representation; findings should be interpreted within these platform-specific and regional boundaries.
Findings highlight the importance of institutional support in driving digital engagement. The inclusion of LinkedIn training within LIS education can improve professional development and research influence.
Unlike prior LinkedIn research, which has largely focused on students and generic professional samples, this study is among the first to empirically examine LinkedIn use specifically among LIS professionals, linking frequency of use and institutional support to scholarly visibility and extending social capital theory to a profession-specific context.
