International Students and Academic Libraries

A Survey of Issues and Annotated Bibliography

The growing emphasis on globalization in the context of higher education has resulted in changes in academic curricula, increasing numbers of global partnerships, and in more concentrated efforts to recruit international students at North American universities. This book focuses on the impact of these efforts on academic libraries. The introductory essay addresses issues faced by both international students and by librarians who work with them. The student-related issues include general culture shock, communication and language concerns, learning styles, differences between libraries in North America and those in other parts of the world, and library anxiety. Library-related issues include responding to language, technological, and cultural barriers; responding to specific culture-based concerns; classroom communication; outreach; and staff training.

Suggestions are offered as to ways to make the relationship between students and librarians more positive and productive. The annotated bibliography provides an overview of the literature on the topic, covering such issues as basic library orientation; bibliographic instruction/information literacy; collection development; computers and the internet; language and communication; marketing and outreach; reference services; and staff development and training, including staff exchanges and international visits. Author and subject indexes are appended.