The Personal Librarian Program:
Meeting the Information Needs of
International Students
Qing Meade
Reference Librarian
Main Library
Lettinga Campus
DU International Student Fall Enrollment
(undergraduate)
250
225
196
200
177
151
150
135
126
112
122
Lettinga
All Campues &
Online
100
50
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
From DU databook: http://www.davenport.edu/davenport-university-databook
International Enrollment by Country of Origin
Total of Countries
60
50
52
49
47
40
42
30
Total of Countries
20
10
0
2008
2009
2010
2011
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 feedback
Two identical surveys sent - in English and in
Chinese
24% response rate (6 of 25 responded)
Survey: Question 1
Do you know who your personal librarian is?
N=6
17%
yes
no
83%
Survey: Question 2
Is the amount of communication from your
personal librarian:
N=6
0%
33%
not enough
just right
more than I can bear
67%
Survey: Question 3
Have you ever contacted your Personal
Librarian?
N=6
17%
yes
no
83%
Survey: Question 4
Why did you contact your Personal Librarian?
Attending workshops hosted by…
Questions about a library job…
Questions about testing service
Questions about tutoring service
Help with research assignment(s)
Help in searching library databases
Help in searching library catalog
Help with APA citation style,…
Help in locating materials (i.e.,…
Help in using library website
0% 10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%
Survey: Question 5
How satisfied were you with your personal
librarian's response to your request(s)?
N=5
0%
extremely satisfied
40%
moderately satisfied
satisfied
60%
extremely
disappointed
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 mission
Encourage campus partnerships
Developing an ongoing relationship between the
Personal Librarian and the students
Positive feedback from the participants
Nominal 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
Thank you!
Any questions or comments?
Qing Meade
616-554-5664 ext. 5425
qmeade@davenport.edu