the personal librarian program: meeting the information needs of international students qing meade...
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The Personal Librarian Program: Meeting the Information Needs of International Students
Qing MeadeReference LibrarianMain LibraryLettinga Campus
DU International Student Fall Enrollment (undergraduate)
2008 2009 2010 20110
50
100
150
200
250
112
135126 122
225
196
177
151
Lettinga
All Campues & Online
From DU databook: http://www.davenport.edu/davenport-university-databook
International Enrollment by Country of Origin
2008 2009 2010 20110
10
20
30
40
50
6052 49 47
42
Total of Countries
Total of Countries
From DU databook: http://www.davenport.edu/davenport-university-databook
Review of Library Literature
Definition of “International Student” The problems, difficulties and
challenges: Language barrier Culture shock Difficulty adjusting to a Western academic
environment, including the library Shyness, loneliness, social and personal
uncertainties Plagiarism
The Initiative – Personal Librarian Program for International Students
Current library services to international students: Library tour/presentation during International Student
Orientation One-shot library instruction in classroom
Our Mission: Devise a way to encourage more personal contact with
individual students
Focus Group: First year international students at the Lettinga campus All international students at the Lettinga campus
Campus Partnership: The International Programs Office
Implementation and Timeline September 2011: Welcome email message Program kick-off: lunch and learn meeting
Throughout the academic year of 2011-2012: Periodic and non-intrusive email messages form the PL In-person appointment and individual research consultation Other types of questions asked
November 2011: APA Citation Workshop
February 2012: Library Catalog & Database Workshop
April 2012: Survey of Personal Librarian Program
My Personal Librarian Bookmark
Special thanks to Rachel Zaagman for her design of this bookmark
Feedback – Library Catalog & Database Workshop
100% response rate (5 of 5 responded)
What did you find most valuable about today’s workshop?
How to find e-books How to use the library’s website Libguides How to find a book from the library website How to search for papers & articles in the catalog or
databases
Feedback - Library Catalog & Database Workshop
What did you find least valuable about today’s workshop?
4 answers of N/A Some tips
What did you hope to learn that was not covered in today’s workshop?
N/A All have learned Very good explanation Citations How to use word, excel, ppt if it’s possible
Feedback - Library Catalog & Database Workshop
How should the workshop to be improved in the future?
Keep having more of this kind of workshop Should be organized such workshop regularly Good Teaching online I want know if there have Mandarin or other
language books
Feedback – Survey of Personal Librarian Program
25.7% of all international students at Lettinga campus use the service. Majority are first year international students
Survey Monkey was used to solicit feedbackTwo identical surveys sent - in English and in
Chinese24% response rate (6 of 25 responded)
Survey: Question 1
83%
17%
Do you know who your personal librarian is? N=6
yesno
Survey: Question 2
33%
67%
Is the amount of communication from your personal librarian:
N=6
not enoughjust rightmore than I can bear
Survey: Question 3
83%
17%
Have you ever contacted your Personal Librarian?
N=6
yesno
Survey: Question 4
Help in using library website
Help with APA citation style, including NoodleTools
Help in searching library databases
Questions about tutoring service
Questions about a library job opening
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Why did you contact your Personal Librar-ian?
Survey: Question 5
40%
60%
How satisfied were you with your personal librarian's response to your request(s)?
N=5
extremely satisfiedmoderately satisfiedsatisfiedextremely dis-appointed
Survey: Question 6
What is the one thing that we could do to make the personal librarian program better? (N=2)
Everything is already perfect Introduce the Noodletools to every new international
students because it is such a good tool to make references
Survey questions are from Judy M. Spak & Janis G. Glover & AHIP (2007): The Personal Librarian Program: An Evaluation of a Cushing/Whitney Medical Library Outreach Initiative, Medical Reference Service Quarterly, 26:4, 15-25
Conclusion
Aligned with the University’s missionEncourage campus partnershipsDeveloping an ongoing relationship between the
Personal Librarian and the studentsPositive feedback from the participantsNominal effort on the part of the librarian, making it
possible to expand the program to include other student groups
2012-2013: Personal Librarian Program
Continuation of the Personal Librarian Program for International Students
Personal Librarian Program for First Year Students @ Davenport University (see next slide for the proposal)
Personal Librarian Program for the Capstone class at the Lansing campus
