Social media capabilities among academic librarians in Malaysia: impacts on librarians’ agility and librarian-user relationship quality

This study investigates how social media capability influences librarians’ agility and the quality of librarian–user relationships in Malaysian public university libraries. Guided by Dynamic Capability Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Customer Relationship Management Theory, the research examines how social media capabilities translate into adaptive service delivery and stronger relational outcomes. The study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design and surveyed 189 librarians who were selected using stratified random sampling from among 20 public universities. An online survey instrument was developed based on validated survey scales of each of the three constructs social media capability (relationship capability, service innovation capability and tools capability), librarians’ agility (decision making agility, acting agility or practicing), and quality of relationships with users (trust, commitment and satisfaction). A cross-sectional survey analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed that social media capability significantly enhances librarians’ agility and, together with agility, predicts higher levels of trust and satisfaction among users. High mean scores across key capability dimensions further indicate that librarians possess a well-developed level of social media capability and are confident in leveraging these platforms to improve communication, stimulate innovation, and deliver responsive services. The study’s practical implications highlight the importance of ongoing training in social media capabilities, adopting agile methodologies and agile team approaches, and integrating social media performance indicators into accountability frameworks to advance user-centred library services aligned with national digital transformation goals. Limitations include the cross-sectional design, reliance on self-reported data, and focus on public universities. Future research should employ longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches, incorporate observational data, and include larger samples from private and international universities to enhance generalisability.