International students and the Chinese academic library: A user survey at Beijing Normal University Library

2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 20-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Liu
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
User Survey ◽  
University Library ◽  
Normal University

scholarly journals The Internationalization of the Academic Library: A Systematic Review of 25 Years of Literature on International Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda B. Click ◽  
Claire Walker Wiley ◽  
Meggan Houlihan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
International Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Conference Papers

This study is a systematic review of the library and information science (LIS) literature related to international students and academic libraries. A systematic review involves the methodical collection and analysis of a body of literature and is growing in popularity in the LIS field. Three well-known LIS databases were systematically searched for articles related to the topic, and manual bibliography searches were conducted to find additional publications. Journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers were included or excluded based on established criteria. Findings show that articles published about international students and academic libraries have increased steadily between 1990 and 2014. The majority of authors are affiliated with universities and institutions in the United States, although an increase in represented countries is apparent. Fewer than half of the articles can be considered original research, and surveys are the most popular method for data collection. The LIS field—and international students—would benefit from further exploration of this topic, particularly from original research with practical implications.

scholarly journals Undergraduate and postgraduate students in a North American University are choosing to use chat reference services for all kinds of reasons

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Gill Needham
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
User Survey ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Reference Services ◽  
Chat Reference ◽  
Survey Form ◽  
Chat Reference Services

A review of: Ward, David. “Why Users Choose Chat: A Survey of Behavior and Motivations.” Internet Reference Services Quarterly 10.1 (2005): 29-46. Objective – To investigate reasons why undergraduate and postgraduate students choose to use chat reference services and their satisfaction with the experience. Design – User survey. Setting – Large academic library in the United States. Subjects – A total of 341 library users took part in the survey. Of these, 79 were graduate students, 215 undergraduates, 21 staff, 5 alumni and 21 members of the public. Method – A user survey form was posted on the library website for a period of one month (March 2003). Users of the chat reference service received an automatic closing message asking them to complete the survey. Responses were fed into a database to be analysed by the research staff. Additional data was also gathered about the behaviour of all users of the chat service during that period – both responders and non-responders. Main results – The most popular reason for choosing to use a chat service was the desire for a speedy response, followed by ‘distance from the library’. Responders chose to use chat to ask a range of different kinds of questions. Nearly half (45%) were looking for a specific resource and 23% were seeking help at the beginning of their research. There were notable differences between undergraduate and graduate students. Twice as many undergraduates as graduates used the service to help them get started on their research. Graduates were three times as likely as undergraduates to be using the service to address technical problems they were having with the website. Overall satisfaction with the service was extremely high, with 77.5% rating it 5 out of 5 and 94.5% giving it 4 or 5 out of 5. Conclusion – Chat reference services are popular with users primarily because they are quick and convenient. However, users expect that these services will be able to deal with all types of questions, including help with research. This challenges an assumption by library staff that the medium is only suitable for short factual enquiries and general questions about library services. It is suggested that a detailed analysis of the chat transcripts from this period could provide a valuable addendum to the survey results.

Saudi students, American academic library: revisited

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-577
Author(s):  
Abiodun I. Ibraheem ◽  
Christopher Devine ◽  
Safiyyah Scott
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Content Type ◽  
American University ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Robert Morris ◽  
Saudi Arabian Students ◽  
Subjective Aspect ◽  
American Academic

Purpose This study aimed to use both quantitative and qualitative methods for assessing Saudi Arabian students’ experiences in using the library of a small American university and to compare the findings against those of a representative sample of American classmates. Design/methodology/approach The project used a paper survey in querying 164 Saudi Arabian and 273 American students studying at Robert Morris University in 2017. Findings The study found that Saudi subjects were much more likely to believe that their informational needs were misunderstood by librarians than American participants in the survey. Research limitations/implications Poor participation in the qualitative phase limited, to some degree, the interpretation that could be carried out of the study’s quantitative results. Practical implications The study’s findings strongly reveal the need for libraries and librarians to highly prioritize effective communication when providing service to international students. Originality/value This is only the second study to ever focus on the library experiences of Saudi Arabian students in American academic libraries, and it is the first to concentrate on the subjective aspect of understanding between librarians and international students. It is of value to library administrators, as well as librarians and library staff who interact with international students.

scholarly journals Determining Gate Count Reliability in a Library Setting

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Traffic ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Statistical Software ◽  
Card Reader ◽  
University Library ◽  
Library Assessment ◽  
Gate Count ◽  
Counter Data

Objective – Patron counts are a common form of measurement for library assessment. To develop accurate library statistics, it is necessary to determine any differences between various counting devices. A yearlong comparison between card reader turnstiles and laser gate counters in a university library sought to offer a standard percentage of variance and provide suggestions to increase the precision of counts. Methods – The collection of library exit counts identified the differences between turnstile and laser gate counter data. Statistical software helped to eliminate any inaccuracies in the collection of turnstile data, allowing this data set to be the base for comparison. Collection intervals were randomly determined and demonstrated periods of slow, average, and heavy traffic. Results – After analyzing 1,039,766 patron visits throughout a year, the final totals only showed a difference of .43% (.0043) between the two devices. The majority of collection periods did not exceed a difference of 3% between the counting instruments. Conclusion – Turnstiles card readers and laser gate counters provide similar levels of reliability when measuring patron activity. Each system has potential counting inaccuracies, but several methods exist to create more precise totals. Turnstile card readers are capable of offering greater detail involving patron identity, but their high cost makes them inaccessible for libraries with lower budgets. This makes laser gate counters an affordable alternative for reliable patron counting in an academic library.

To buy or not to buy? A case study of Western books at Peking University Library

2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 64-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Li ◽  
Nanyan Liang ◽  
Suqing Liu
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Interlibrary Loan ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Library ◽  
Delivery Times ◽  
Peking University ◽  
Decision Making Model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a decision-making model for buy vs borrow selection decisions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conduct a statistical analysis of circulation transactions and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request data related to Western books as well as the overall subject content of local collections. They compare the relative costs and delivery times for obtaining materials through interlibrary loan channels vs purchase from domestic or foreign publishers. Based on this analysis, they make recommendations for buy vs borrow decision-making model relevant to the Western books collection at the Peking University Library. Findings – For materials available domestically, requesting through ILL is the preferred acquisitions strategy because of the low cost of domestic service and the comparable speed of delivery. Materials that can only be obtained from foreign libraries are best acquired through a combination of purchase-on-demand and ILL. Originality/value – This paper adds to the corpus of professional literature on buy vs borrow collection development models but adds a unique perspective by applying this model to a Western book collection in a Chinese academic library.

NS-Raubgut in Darmstädter Bibliotheken vor und nach 1945

Aschkenas ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Göller
Keyword(s):  
Academic Library ◽  
Intellectual Life ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
United State ◽  
University Library ◽  
State Library

AbstractThis article discusses the attitude, prior to as well as after 1945, of both the former Hessian State Library (Landesbibliothek) and the academic library (Hochschulbibliothek) at Darmstadt towards books confiscated by the Nazis. Since most of the records as well as books have vanished in the bombings of the year 1944, only few items looted from victims of persecution could be identified. After 1948, the now united State and University Library (Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek) was given several thousand confiscated books that have not subsequently been restituted by the German and Allied public authorities. Among them, parts of the former Lodges’ libraries in Mainz (Rhenus-Loge) and Darmstadt (Starkenburg-Loge) give an impression of the intellectual life of the B’nai B’rith Order in pre-war Germany.

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