‘Moving towards a more

culturally aware library

through food, film and

discussion’

Kirsty Carver and Sophie North

Bradford

History of Bradford

Wool capital of the world!

First UNESCO City of Film

Diverse and multicultural city

Bronte country

Salts Mill

National Media Museum

University of Bradford

• 1966 transformed from Bradford

Institute of Technology into the

University of Bradford

• Approx 15000 students

• 15% from over 110 different countries

• Compact campus

Background

SCONUL guidelines 2008

“Library services for International students”

• Dedicated support pages

• Library language

• Embedded content information literacy

• Collaboration YHULISS Yorkshire and Humberside University Librarians’ International student support

• Provide regular staff development for library staff in cross cultural awareness and diversity training

• Regular book displays study skills etc

The Library aims to create an

inclusive and supportive

environment for all our

international staff and students

via our services, resources and

information skills teaching.

National Libraries Day!

Student’s home

library : Taipei

Deusto :

Partner libraries

‘In my country the university

libraries have a sleeping

room. We can stay in the

library and study for longer,

we don’t waste time going all

the way home. I use it a lot.”

(Filipino student)

“In the library near

my house you can

get married. Its

really lovely.”

(Malaysian Student)

“We love to go

to the library

theatre. There

is singing and

dancing, things

for adults and

for children.”

(Syrian student)

View from

Mzumbe

Library

Training

• Open to all library staff, including Customer Services,

Academic Services Group

• Careers, Language Centre, International Office, IT

Trainers

• Annually for last 3 years

• Early September

• All sessions compulsory for Customer Services staff

Training in first year

• Started by bringing in external trainers

– David Killick on culture

• Explore our concepts of culture

• How people from other cultures perceive the

British

– Dawn Leggott on use of English

• Accents, colloquialisms, misunderstandings

Training in second year

Invited other people from other sections of university who support international students

International Office

International Student Adviser

Language Centre Student Engagement for UBU and the Language Centre,

NUS/UKCISA

Internationalisation

Award - Student

Advisor of the Year

Training in third year

Film

Made our own video to record students views of library

Bridging our worlds UK/CISA UK Council for

International Student Affairs

Trying to create different atmosphere from ‘normal’

training hours…

food

greetings in other languages

Discussion

Useful hints for communicating to any student

Discussion

• Do you find any of the issues discussed

in this clip to be a problem?

• Do your students find referencing and

plagiarism difficult?

Feedback from training

What did you find interesting?

• Appreciated the insights from videos

– Difficulties registering with the police

– How much preparation some students do before

they approach the desk

• The value placed on induction

What might you try to do differently?

• Speak more slowly

• Be patient

• Don’t be offended if students don’t seem ‘happy’ with

your help

• Be less of a joker!

• Think about body language

How can we improve the experience for

international students in the university?

• Clearer, simpler signage and directions

• Use SCONUL Guidelines

• Make the connections with other librarians/ others in your

university

• Latest QAA report for University specifically mentioned the

targeted support for international students

• Talk to the international students

• Take every opportunity to travel / Erasmus training programmes –

empathy with students

Thank you!

Further questions/ideas…

k.carver@bradford.ac.uk

s.north2@bradford.ac.uk SCONUL (2008) 'Library services for international students.' [Online] Available at:

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/access/papers/international_students.pdf (Accessed: 28

February 2012)

UKCISA (2008) ‘Bridging our worlds: a DVD for training staff working with international

students’ UK Council for International Student Affairs

It doesn’t take much

time/money to make a

difference…