Home Away from Home: Extending Library Services for International Students in China's Universities |
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| Authors: | Lihong Zhou Yingying Han Ping Li |
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| Institution: | School of Information Management, Wuhan University, No. 299 Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China |
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| Abstract: | In response to the rapid growth of international students in China's universities, it is important for university libraries to extend their existing services, which were mainly designed for native Chinese students. This paper reports on a research study aimed at extending library services for international students by identifying and understanding their requirements. An exploratory case study research design was adopted. Specifically, the Wuhan University Library was selected as the case study, at which 23 international students were approached and interviewed using semi-structured questions. The analysis of interview data pointed to 14 library service requirements in four main themes: feeling welcomed, convenient accessibility, comfortable learning environment and diverse learning resources. On this basis, five practical strategies were formulated. This study focused on China's university libraries, however, the research findings provide useful implications and insights that can be shared across international borders. |
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| Keywords: | Case study Chinese universities International students Library services Requirements |
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