Exciting, new Information Literacy outreach efforts to international & ESL students John Hickok TESOL / Instruction Librarian M.L.I.S., M.A.-TESOL CSU-Fullerton

First session (1 ½ hours): A 3-fold plan for outreaching to international & ESL students

Introduction: Demographics : International students in the U.S.-- over HALF A MILLION! : International students in the U.S.-- over HALF A MILLION! : 10.6 MILLION K-12 school children (20%) coming from a non- English speaking home 2005: 10.6 MILLION K-12 school children (20%) coming from a non- English speaking home D=668 D=668

Cal State Fullerton, 2007 = 54%

Library/Research Skills What kind of library/Research (Information Literacy) skills do these students arrive at universities with? What kind of library/Research (Information Literacy) skills do these students arrive at universities with? From my 10 years of observations: a lacking in these skills among International & ESL students From my 10 years of observations: a lacking in these skills among International & ESL students

Yes, but don’t homegrown, English-speaking U.S. students likewise lack I.L. skills???

Of course. However… Extra challenges: Extra challenges: English unfamiliarity English unfamiliarity Culture shock Culture shock Different academic system (e.g. little independent Research) Different academic system (e.g. little independent Research) Limited experience with libraries/ librarians due to poor conditions in their home countries Limited experience with libraries/ librarians due to poor conditions in their home countries

So…what to do? How to outreach to these students?

3-fold plan: 1.Do background research about your int’l/ESL students’ countries/cultures… namely, educational & library aspects. 2. Prepare custom outreach guides (online, but print too) for these students 3. Outreach to them, by going to them! (to their clubs, ESL classes, parties, etc.)

Background Research

1a. Read the professional literature on educational aspects e.g. “Teaching and Learning in Korean Classrooms”, Asia Pacific Education Review, v4 n2 p e.g. “Teaching and Learning in Korean Classrooms”, Asia Pacific Education Review, v4 n2 p

1b. Read the professional literature on foreign library conditions e.g. “Information Literacy in Chinese Higher Education”, Library Trends 51 no Fall 2002 e.g. “Information Literacy in Chinese Higher Education”, Library Trends 51 no Fall 2002

1c. Consult campus cultural experts Chicano Resource Center director Chicano Resource Center director Asian or Asian-American Studies faculty Asian or Asian-American Studies faculty Education faculty (Compar. Int’l. Educ.) Education faculty (Compar. Int’l. Educ.) School/public librarians of local ethnic areas School/public librarians of local ethnic areas  Int’l Education or ESL Dept. Director  Int’l Education or ESL Dept. Director  Ethnic faculty/staff themselves!  Ethnic faculty/staff themselves! (younger/more recent = better) (younger/more recent = better)

1d. Query the students themselves (pre-contact) Administer a IL survey to them via their ESL teacher, the Int’l Office director, their student club advisor, etc. Administer a IL survey to them via their ESL teacher, the Int’l Office director, their student club advisor, etc.

1e. And finally… establish contacts with libraries at foreign universities that send many of your Int’l students an atypical way of doing this… an atypical way of doing this…

What?! You expect us to go to those lengths?!

If you like to travel, then sure, write a research travel grant…or if on a vacation, visit academic libraries then. If you like to travel, then sure, write a research travel grant…or if on a vacation, visit academic libraries then. But even if you don’t travel, you can still make contacts and do this virtually. But even if you don’t travel, you can still make contacts and do this virtually.

How virtually? 1. Identify demographics at your library—what country is most heavily represented? 2. Check with your university’s Int’l Relations office and Int’l Exchange office to see what partnerships you have

3. Then contact those universities’ libraries from their websites. (English is the de facto international language, so Web pages in English are increasingly common—with contacts and bilingual staff) (English is the de facto international language, so Web pages in English are increasingly common—with contacts and bilingual staff)

CSUF – Fudan partnership

Nanjing University

An optional “nice touch”: If you have a campus colleague who is bilingual, sending your intro letter bilingually is great! If you have a campus colleague who is bilingual, sending your intro letter bilingually is great!

Another optional “nice touch”: Webcam with them! Webcam with them! MSN, Yahoo IM, Skype are already very used overseas. MSN, Yahoo IM, Skype are already very used overseas. Then you can “show” them things, and vica versa! Then you can “show” them things, and vica versa!

For example… CSUF’s Cambodian Club

Network with them! Learn about their library conditions & instruction programs (if any) Learn about their library conditions & instruction programs (if any) Share with them your instruction programs…and offer to link to your library’s homepage (or special page for them) Share with them your instruction programs…and offer to link to your library’s homepage (or special page for them)

Some of my in-person networking:

The resulting benefits? You learn more about what kind of library conditions/services exist at certain universities You learn more about what kind of library conditions/services exist at certain universities (CAUTION: don’t stereotype the whole country from your 1 university) (CAUTION: don’t stereotype the whole country from your 1 university)

Both are China!

The resulting benefits? They learn about your library, and can better prepare their study- abroad students on what to expect They learn about your library, and can better prepare their study- abroad students on what to expect And you might even meet them, in-person!

Prepare custom outreach guides (print & online) for these students Introduce them to some initial similarities/differences between their home libraries and here- Introduce them to some initial similarities/differences between their home libraries and here- Present library resources on their country, to get them excited to come! Present library resources on their country, to get them excited to come!

Print brochure

Print brochure (bilingual)

“Circulation” “Circulation” Print brochure Define unfamiliar terms! “ILL” “ILL” “Citation” “Citation” “ERIC” “ERIC” …”air fan?” …”sick?” …“traffic ticket?” …“another librarian?”

Online guide Get them excited about all the resources in the library about their country (books, periodicals, videos, databases, etc.) Get them excited about all the resources in the library about their country (books, periodicals, videos, databases, etc.) Include links to their home library and home online catalog! Include links to their home library and home online catalog!

Online guide

Books! Books!

Online guide videos! videos!

Online guide periodicals! periodicals!

Online guide maps! maps!

Outreach to them, by going to them! (their clubs, ESL classes, parties, etc.) Make it fun! You’re not going to “give them a library lecture”…you’re going to celebrate their country! Make it fun! You’re not going to “give them a library lecture”…you’re going to celebrate their country! Then you can weave in info about the library and I.L. elements Then you can weave in info about the library and I.L. elements

Spring 2007: Outreach Indonesian club Indonesian club Cambodian club Cambodian club Vietnamese club Vietnamese club Korean students (ESL classes) Korean students (ESL classes) Thai party Thai party

Sample advertising to them:

Even if you haven’t traveled… You can still make it fun & appealing! Title it, for example: “Cool things about Japan in the Library” or “Cool things about Japan in the Library” or “German libraries partnering with us!” “German libraries partnering with us!”

Make it appealing!

Add some incentives! Popcorn Give-aways Cultural treats Cultural treats

But don’t forget the I.L…. Have handouts about the library Have handouts about the library Include the URL to your Web guide Include the URL to your Web guide

And now for some photos! Indonesian club

And now for some photos! Indonesian club

Cambodian Club

Vietnamese Club

Korean students (ESL class)

Thai student party (at a home)

Now its your turn… Do the same at your library!

Thanks! (See you back here in 30 minutes) in 30 minutes)