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Between Acceptance and Attendance

Introducing the Library to New International Students. Between Acceptance and Attendance. Jannelle Ruswick , Instruction Coordinator. Acceptance. Attendance. Private PhD-granting institution in Chicago 7,787 students 35% undergrad, 65% grad STEM+ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

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Between Acceptance and Attendance

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  1. Introducing the Library to New International Students Between Acceptance and Attendance JannelleRuswick, Instruction Coordinator

  2. Acceptance Attendance

  3. Private PhD-granting institution in Chicago • 7,787 students • 35% undergrad, 65% grad • STEM+ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) • Psychology, Business, Law, Architecture

  4. High ratio of international students • 43% international • over 100 countries represented

  5. Make new friends …and keep the old

  6. Build Relationships Big 3 Targets • International Center • Orientation Committee • Admissions Office

  7. Know your students Survey, respond, repeat

  8. Gate and Proxy Counts • Where are they coming from? • Determine statistical significance • Scan all IDs in specific times for two weeks • Count all proxy use • Output: Excel file with demographic data, no names or IDs. • Conduct biannually to track changes • Spring semester, 2009 and 2011

  9. Top 3 Countries of Origin Institute of International Education. (2010). "Top 25 Places of Origin of International Students, 2008/09-2009/10." Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors

  10. Takeaways • Learned as much as we could about libraries in these three countries. • Empirical evidence for outreach • Users and nonusers • Can use this to ask for more resources!

  11. Survey • Given to all in-library orientation attendees every semester • Offered online to current students in 2007 • iTunes gift card from random drawing • Seeking information about previous library use and current library confusion

  12. Do you find anything confusing about the library? • “Yes ,,, finding one book is like finding a pin in a haystack, and something I've noticed is that most international students are too shy to ask for help.” • “How the books are sorted, they should be by departments.”

  13. Do you find anything confusing about the library? • “There is a couple of tables and chairs on the first floor reserved for eating. But frequently I found it occupied by group studiers. Then I have to walk to MTCC to finish lunch or dinner.” • “where is quiet seats”

  14. Fixes • General How to Find Books LibGuide • International Students LibGuide • Simplify signs • Not “Intersession Hours” but “Hours for August” • Bilingual signs • Designated quiet spaces • Makes library feel more like home

  15. Enhance your online presence After all, it is the “World” Wide Web

  16. Provide Online Materials • Learn before arriving • Multi-lingual guides are welcoming • Get information without having to ask • But if they do ask, they can type at their own pace

  17. Library.iit.edu/students Guides placed where current students were looking for them.

  18. Multilingual Library Virtual Tour Translated by volunteer students into Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Hindi.

  19. Bilingual library guides • Online research guides in Chinese • On topics they want to know about • Research papers • Plagiarism • Finding articles 中文

  20. Reuse and Repurpose • Most content already existed • In user-friendly location • Inclusive feeling

  21. Welcome early arrivers Internet, air conditioning, long hours

  22. Orientation Methods • Big auditorium lectures • Library tours • Library workshops • Resource fairs • Informal hellos

  23. Auditorium Orientations Pros Cons • Reach wide audience • Surface topics only • No promotion needed • Legitimized • Advertise other events • Impersonal • Surface topics only • One of many lectures

  24. Library Tours and Workshops Textbooks Library Catalog Reference services

  25. Make up for the cons Auditorium Orientation’s cons Workshop’s pros • Impersonal • Surface topics only • One of many lectures • Personal • In-depth topics • Top questions asked by international students • Interactive with students

  26. Student Resource Fairs

  27. Recommendations • Know and consult your international population • Look around your library space and end confusion • Repackage current materials and get them online • Make a new content priority list • Prepare your staff for the 30 day triathlon • Do it all with a smile

  28. Questions? JannelleRuswick jmruswick@gmail.com Yi Han, yhan27@iit.edu Diversity and Outreach Fair Exhibit Hall 3-5pm Today! http://library.iit.edu/students

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