Introduction

This paper reports on research being undertaken for the UK Society of College National and University Libraries (SCONUL) to investigate how UK university libraries can best support international students, culminating in guidelines which will be published by SCONUL in December 2007. The research examined the issues surrounding the debate over exclusivity versus inclusivity that affect the provision of library services for international students. Results include what techniques UK university libraries are currently employing; feedback from international students about their priorities for library support and how that matches library staff perceptions; and with whom university libraries need to work to improve service provision. The research identified examples of good practice in providing a truly inclusive library service for international students and explored whether issues faced in UK libraries are reflected by experience in other developed countries.

Background to the study

International students make up 13.4% of the total UK higher education institution (HEI) population, and, in addition to enriching cultural diversity and providing essential income, they also bring a wide variety of needs, experience and expectations. In recent years the international student profile has become increasingly diverse, as in other developed countries, with students worldwide having a diverse range of abilities and subject interests and hence a broader scope of teaching and learning experiences. These changes are reflected in the issues faced by all libraries striving to support international students effectively.

Findings of a major survey of more than 28,000 international students confirmed that the UK is still ‘a close rival to the US as the best study destination in the world’ (Tysome, 2006, 3). However, if UK universities are to maintain their place in the global market, they need to respond to changing needs to attract students from abroad. Academic libraries have an important supporting role in this. Andreas Schleicher, head of the Indicators and Analysis Division at the OECD, warns that ‘the global educational landscape has changed fundamentally’ and UK universities must face challenges from China and India, in particular, as well as from other European countries now offering degrees taught in English. He says, ‘Success will go to those institutions and countries that are swift to adapt, slow to complain and open to change’ (Schleicher, 2007, 3).