Comparing The Use of Library Online Resources and Academic Tools Among International and U.S. College Students
Comparing The Use of Library Online Resources and Academic Tools Among International and U.S. College Students
Comparing The Use of Library Online Resources and Academic Tools Among International and U.S. College Students
Abstract
Every year, American universities attract more international students. In order to help these students succeed
academically and achieve their potential, librarians can identify where language and cultural barriers prevent
students from accessing library resources. The research proposed is aimed to identify what these students’
research preferences are, and how they engage with library services in ways that they are comfortable with in
order for librarians to provide library services and access to resources that benefit all students.
C
University of South Florida, School of Information, Masters of Library and Information
Sc Science Candidates
Needs Assessment. Given their growing global student populations, university libraries are
poised to create reference and online service points that mitigate cultural and language barriers
for specialized training to work with international students (Ishimura & Bartlett, 2012). The
American Library Association recommends behavioral and core competencies for reference
Evaluation, and Information Interfaces. Providers of library services should “identify and
provide solutions that minimize cognitive and physical barriers to access” (RUSA, 2003), and
students for whom English is a second language are targeted (RUSA, 2004).
Language and cultural barriers are distinct issues for international students when
accessing library resources. Al Salah’s 2004 study found that 90% of Saudi graduate students did
not use online databases because the resources were in English. Cultural differences do not
prepare international students for using academic libraries in the United States (Langer & Kubo,
2015), and even impede their understanding of sources created by and for Western, English-
speaking users (Kim, 2013). Although some of the obstacles are clear, what is less clear is how
academic librarians can work with international students to bridge these gaps. What needs to be
better understood is how international students navigate and perceive their available resources
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
differently than their U.S. counterparts. Socialization issues (Chen & Van Ullen, 2011) and
library anxiety (Sinnasamy & Abdul Karim, 2015) contribute to non-native English speakers’
reduced use of library resources. Librarians can meet the needs of international English as a
secondary language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) students by removing
understanding of how international students perceive and engage online resources, what specific
cultural or language-based obstacles must be overcome, and how they can bridge gaps specific to
international students. While international students may face different obstacles than U.S.
students, it is less clear exactly what those differences are and how librarian assistance should be
shaped accordingly. Therefore, this research aims to assess the differences in navigation and
perception of online library resources and academic tools by international and U.S. students.
(R1)What are the differences in perception and use of library resources between native English-
(R2) Do international or ESL/EFL students use library sources differently than their English-
speaking counterparts?
(R3) What tools do each group use to access online research materials (journals, e-books,
databases)?
information literacy (Johnston, Partridge, & Hughes, 2014), which invites original research that
could improve practical service points to engage EFL and ESL students. Johnston, Partridge, &
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Hughes recommend hands-on library workshops for Arab students working in English-language
environments to accommodate Arab students’ broad needs in selecting, accessing, reading, and
understanding information (Johnston, Partridge, & Hughes, 2014). Henry Madden Library at
Fresno State reveals little success with workshops but includes all incoming international
students in these library efforts (Langer & Kubo, 2015). Research points to increasing interests in
social and computer-mediated technologies (Sin, 2015; Fraillion, et al., 2015) to communicate
library services to students, from which the entire university community may benefit.
There have been several studies throughout the last decade detailing the sources that
international students use for both academic research and everyday information retrieval.
International students, in contrast to their native U.S. student counterparts, largely begin searches
through search engines rather than electronic library resources (Liao, et al., 2007), and they do
not generally use specific journal databases, also using these methods for everyday information
seeking (Sin, 2014). Previous research has also focused on “high-context” and “low-context”
information. Kim (2013) compared information contextuality with different cultural types,
finding that U.S. university students and Korean students studying at U.S. universities interacted
with high-context information differently. Korean students responded to images, moods, and
symbols, while U.S. students responded to concrete information presented by the resources.
These studies are a good start to understanding the differences between these student groups, but
they focus primarily on resource usage and information processing. This study is aimed at
specifically exploring perception and navigation of resources--as these are two key areas in
(Yi, 2007), yet few clear guidelines exist for guiding academic libraries in assessing and
providing for international university students’ needs in database searching and online services
interaction. Furthermore, there are few articles in library and information science journals on
international student information needs. This proposed research could provide necessary
knowledge to improve academic library resources, service quality, and teaching efficiency for
international students by assisting librarians and educators in recognizing the patterns, strategies,
and problems of international student information needs. The research may inform creating more
diverse and libraries become increasingly digital (Zhao, et al., 2005), overall, developing library
Research Design
Sampling: During the 2015-2016 academic year, The University of South Florida Tampa
students. These students originate from over 130 countries of origin and are represented in each
college at the University of South Florida (USF System Facts, 2015-2016). The sample for this
USF ranks higher than many schools in number of international students. It was #40 in
top doctorate-granting universities hosting international students in the 2015-2016 year (Institute
of International Education Open Doors Report, 2016). However, this determination includes
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
graduate and non-degree seeking student, of which USF has a larger percentage—18% and 38%.
For the purpose of our study, only surveying undergraduate students is more appropriate for
sampling purposes because the percentage of international students that comprise the
undergraduate student population at USF Tampa more closely matches the percentage of
The majority of international undergraduate students at USF matriculate into their degree
programs through INTO—a third-party company partnered with the university which provides a
non-degree seeking Pathways Program. This program, while providing students with many
resources when it comes to English-language and cultural education, does not directly work with
students to educate them on library services. Therefore, despite the uniqueness of the
about library services and their perceptions of these offerings are unlikely to be affected.
Data Collection. Two initial avenues for gaining access to possible participants will be
pursued. First, a link to the questionnaire in the form of an elective, online survey will be
provided during the library’s orientation for first-year students. Access to that survey will be
provided through students’ “myUSF” accounts, so that only current USF students access the
survey link. All survey questions will be duplicated in a follow-up survey, generated to
respondents at the end of the semester. A few questions may be added as appropriate if principal
investigators review the incoming, collected and suggest revisions to collect more complete or
accurate data.
teaching faculty are involved in library instruction sessions. With the departmental faculty’s
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
prior approval, the librarians will encourage students to complete the survey questionnaire as a
Students will be asked to complete some required questions, one will self-identify native
languages and others will ask for demographic information. To collect qualitative and
quantitative data, survey questions will include open-ended and Likert type scaled questions with
required answers, and administered through Qualtrics, a user-friendly, online survey tool.
Qualtrics permits a variety of question types, compiles immediate results, and provides for
quantitative and qualitative analysis once all replies have been received.
use of library services as compared to American, native English-speaking students. Analysis will
be based on the Qualtrics output, which allows for statistical analysis of individual questions and
across the entire survey. General trends will be found for international students and native, U.S.
students as individual groups, and then the two groups’ results will be compared against one
Expected outcome. The researchers hope to gain useful insight on the possible points of
service interaction that international students are having with the academic library. Sufficient
research has indicated that there are gaps in libraries serving this population and that
improvements can be made if librarians are made aware of which points of service students
would take advantage of if it were practical for them to do so. Expanded programming and
improved social media networking tools will be implemented that will encourage library use
from international students if the tools or specialized interfaces international students use and
how those can be used to market new services to students are sufficiently identified. It is
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expected that all students will benefit from improved tools like improved LibGuides, for
example.
Evaluation/testing plans. The study of language barriers also leads to a question of how
to test the effects of these barriers without implementing them into the testing. To best test the
efficacy of the survey, a group of polylingual university students will review the survey
questions and look for any potential errors in translation or possible roadblocks to understanding.
The foreign language surveys were translated with the help of foreign language instructors at the
university.
When testing the implementation of the survey in the library computer system, the
researchers use a sample test group of five librarians and fifteen student library assistants to take
a pilot survey. Any issues with delivery or improper receipt of results in the Qualtrics system
will be fixed immediately. During the run of the survey, a system will be in place to report any
improved interaction with library services. Year-end library surveys are annually offered to all
students, and first year students’ responses will be compared against the answers collected from
the surveys.
Principal investigators
South Florida. REDACTED was previously employed by the St.Petersburg College M.M.
Bennett Library and provided information technology support to international students and
instruction covering concepts such as: finding books and articles, scholarly versus popular
materials, citing sources and plagiarism, how to narrow or broaden topics, and pros and cons of
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
using Google. REDACTED will oversee the follow up surveys offered to all students during the
assessment process.
of South Florida and is a Library Manager at USF St Petersburg Library. REDACTED will
solicit participation from faculty and administrators, schedule monthly conference calls with the
consultants and research staff, and organize the data that is collected.
South Florida. Fleck was employed by INTO USF as a bridge-tutor from 2012 to 2014 and has
worked with international student populations as an instructor. Fleck will work with INTO USF
students.
of South Florida and a research fellow at the University Of Michigan School Of Information.
with Project Progress. REDACTED will oversee the data collection processes and perform
Meredith Chou (fictional character). Language consultant Chou holds a doctoral degree
in Chinese Language from the University of Beijing. Chou speaks English, Korean, Japanese and
Vietnamese in addition to native Chinese, and can conduct personal interviews to collect survey
data, finalize survey questions, and analyze the data. Chou’s many articles are published in peer-
reviewed journals.
Hank Meier (fictional character). Qualitative data analyst, Meier, owner of Meier
Analytics, holds a masters degree in qualitative analysis from the Freiburg University. Meier is
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frequently consulted in higher education to advise on strategic actions and analyze qualitative
survey data results. Meier is the author of How to Influence Stakeholders (Routledge, 2018) and
Timeline
Date Activity
December 1, 2017 Original surveyed population sent fall semester follow-up survey
via USF email.
December 1-30, 2017 Fall semester follow-up survey results collected as submitted.
May 1, 2018 Final follow-up survey is sent via USF email to all original
surveyed population.
Operational budget The four principal investigators will conduct the research without any
financial compensation, and two graduate students will be hired to manage the data and produce
reports and monitor current research at an expense of $15 per hour for 10 hours per week over 30
weeks. One, ten-dollar, university bookstore, vouchers will be given to each of the first one
hundred respondents. Consultant Meier has agreed to contract terms of $50 per hour for two
hours per month on average, and consultant Chou has agreed to $60 per hour for two hours per
month on average over the course of the one year term. One computer lap top will be needed
Personel Expense
Graduate Student Assistant (1) $1,200
Graduate Student Assistant (2) $1,200
Consultant Meier $4,500
Consultant Chou $4,500
Vouchers $1,000
Equipment, supplies, other
Laptop computer $2,000
Office supplies $50
Postage $50
Total $14,500
Others. The University of South Florida will provide free access to Qualtrics software, which
will be used to conduct the survey. In coordination with the USF Library, office space for the
consultants and graduate assistants will be provided for the duration of the study.
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
References
Al-Saleh, Y.N. (2004). Graduate students’ information needs from electronic information
resources in Saudi Arabia,” PhD thesis, The Florida State University, Florida, available
at: http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu%3A168066
Chen, Y. H., & Van Ullen, M. K. (2011). Helping international students succeed academically
through research process and plagiarism workshops. College & Research Libraries,
72(3), 209–235.
Fraillion, J., Ainley, J., Schulz, W., Friedman, T. and Gebhardt, E. (2014). Preparing for Life in a
Digital Age: The IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study
International Report. Springer Open.
Johnston, N., Partridge, H., & Hughes, H. (2014). Understanding the information literacy
experiences of EFL (English as a foreign language) students. Reference Services Review,
42(4), 552-568. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1633971291?accountid=14745
Kim, J. (2013). Information and culture: Cultural differences in the perception and recall of
information. Library & Information Science Research, 35(3), 241-250.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2013.04.001
Langer, C. and Kubo, H. (2015). From the ground up: creating a sustainable library outreach
program for international students. Journal of Library Administration, 55(8), 605-621.
Qualtrics. https://www.qualtrics.com/
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). (2004). Guidelines for Behavioral
Performance for Reference and Information Service Providers.
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA). (2003). Professional Competencies for
Reference and User Services Librarians. Retrieved 2 June, 2017, from
http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/professional
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Sin, S.-C.J. (2015). Demographic differences in international students’ information source uses
and everyday information seeking challenges. Journal of Academic Librarianship. 40(4),
466-474.
Sinnasamy, J., & Abdul Karim, N. (2015). Academic related anxieties: A case study
investigating the relationships among library, communication and language anxieties
among non-native speakers of English. Malaysian Journal Of Library & Information
Science, 20(2), 1-12.
University of South Florida. (2016). “USF System Facts, 2015-2016.” USF Office of Decision
Making System Facts. Retrieved from http://www.usf.edu/ods/documents/system-
facts/usf-system-facts-2015-16.pdf
Yeh, C.C. (2009). Student perceptions of an EFL undergraduate research writing project, RELC
Journal, 40(3) 314-332
Yi, Z. (2007). International Student Perceptions of Information Needs and Use. Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 33(6), 666-673.
Zhao, C., Kuh, G. D., & Carini, R. M. (2005). A comparison of international student and
American student engagement in effective educational practices. The Journal of Higher
Education, 76 (2), 209-231. doi:10.1353/jhe.2005.0018
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
Appendix
Questionnaire
Need Help?
This survey is estimated to take you approximately one half hour minutes to complete. Do you
wish to participate in this survey and would like assistance filling out this questionnaire? Please
contact surveyadministrator1@mail.usf.edu
* Required
Demographics
What is your current student rank: *
_first-year, undergraduate
_sophomore, undergraduate
_junior, undergraduate
_senior, undergraduate
_Other:
How comfortable are you with your personal English language communication (consider
altogether: reading, writing, speaking, listening)? *
_very comfortable, I am a native English speaker
_very comfortable, but English is not my native language
_comfortable, I am a native English speaker
_comfortable, but English is not my native language
_not comfortable, I am a native English speaker
_not comfortable, but English is not my native language
Other:
Source Familiarity
How familiar are you with the following information sources:
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Online Libraries *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Online Databases *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Please indicate how familiar you are with the following electronic information sources:
E-mail *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Search engine *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Online news *
_extremely familiar
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Online bookstore *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Electronic magazines/journals *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Blogs *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
Online database *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Ask-an-expert *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Audiobooks (downloadable/digital) *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
RSS feeds *
_extremely familiar
_very familiar
_somewhat familiar
_not at all familiar
Now, please indicate how often you use the following electronic information resources:
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
E-mail *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Search engine *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Online news *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Online bookstore *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
_sometimes
_often
Electronic magazines/journals *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Blogs *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Online database *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Ask-an-expert *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
Audiobooks (downloadable/digital) *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
RSS feeds *
_never
_rarely
_sometimes
_often
Are there any academic obstacles that prevent you from using online resources, either inside or
outside of the library? (Eg.: difficulty using or understanding library materials)
Your answer
Are there any cultural obstacles that prevent you from using online resources, either inside or
outside of the library? (Eg.: access to internet, unfamiliarity with American libraries)
Your answer
Other than possible language barriers, to what extent do you feel any of the following statements
describes cultural barriers that prevents you from seeking out, locating, or using university
library services? (Select all that apply.)
_I don’t know how to ask for help in the library
_I don’t understand where to begin
_I don’t think I have any cultural barriers that prevent me from using library services
_Libraries in the United States are very different from libraries outside the country
_Other:
How are you most likely to participate in learning about library services that could assist you
with conducting library research? (Select all that apply.)
Webinars
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
Whom do you usually ask if you need help beginning research for a class assignment? (Select all
that apply.)
_Class instructor
_A different instructor
_A classmate
_A librarian
_No one
_Other:
Overall, do you ask a librarian to help you with getting started on a research project? (Select all
that apply.)
_I consulted a librarian for research assistance
_No, I am unsure of how to contact a librarian for assistance
_No, I don’t think a librarian helps with research
_No, I feel like I should be able to start a research project on my own
_No, I don’t feel like a librarian could help me with my specific project
_Other:
How satisfied are you with the services the librarians provide at the library?
_Very satisfied
_Satisfied
_Neutral
_Dissatisfied
_Very dissatisfied
_I have no experience with any library services
_Other:
If you prefer to read in a language other than English, how easy is it for you to find research
materials in your preferred reading language?
_Very easy, I have found more than enough resources in my preferred language
_Somewhat easy, I have found enough resources in my preferred language to complete work
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
_Somewhat difficult, I have found some resources in my preferred language, but not enough to
complete my work
_Very difficult, I have found very few or no resources in my preferred language
Do you ever use the library website or library resources (eg.: full text journal articles) outside of
the library?
_Yes
_No
Based on what you know about the USF Library, do you believe that it has online resources you
will need for your coursework this academic year?
_Yes
_No
_Unsure
Do you believe using the USF Library website is more difficult than using other online
search/reference tools?
_Yes
_No
_Unsure
Do you believe the online resources of the USF Library are helpful to native-English speakers?
_Yes
_No
_Unsure
Navigation and Perception of Online Library Resources
Do you believe the online resources of the USF Library are helpful to non-native-English
speakers?
_Yes
_No
_Unsure
Are you more likely to use online library resources rather than in-person library resources?
_Yes
_No
_Unsure
If you have any feedback about the USF Library that was not addressed in the survey, please
explain.
Your answer