Taking the Distance Out of Library Services Offered to International Graduate Students

Abstract

SummaryProviding quality library services to distance students is always a challenge, but the advent of an increasing number of international site-based programs and online programs accessed by students around the world raises new considerations, challenges, and concerns about how libraries should be providing services to international students. This presentation will consider the issues and variety of solutions offered by programs at Nova Southeastern University. The library services being discussed in this presentation are for international students in six graduate programs offering site-based instruction in ten countries in Latin America and Europe and three doctoral programs offering online degree programs at Nova Southeastern University. The relative merits of the library solutions implemented for the various types of programs will be evaluated. Issues discussed include (1) setting up local library resource centers and local library agreements, (2) the usefulness of document delivery services such as those offered by the British Library and package courier services such as DHL, (3) providing new technology solutions such as Prospero and ILLiad, (4) telecommunications infrastructure problems in both developing countries and Europe that impact the delivery of library services via the Web, (5) finding cost-effective solutions for bibliographic instruction, (6) ensuring that international students who receive instruction in a language other than English are provided with equivalent library services for reference, instruction, and access to appropriate materials, and (7) understanding and working effectively with other peoples' cultural and political sensibilities. The one challenge for libraries is to work to ensure that international students are provided with equal or equivalent library service solutions to those offered to on-campus students and distance students who live within the United States, particularly when it comes to access to print resources.

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