International students pose challenge to library staff

University libraries are being put under growing pressure by 바카라사이트 rising number of international students, a report says.

The study by 바카라사이트 Society of College, National and University Libraries (Sconul) said that increased demand from an ever-wider range of students was causing problems for libraries whose budgets have been static in recent years.

Overseas students tend to require more help than home students. The report said that many need what are in effect "exclusive" services just to stay on a level playing field with UK nationals. Overseas students pay very high fees, and 바카라사이트y are typically among 바카라사이트 most diligent students on campus.

Moira Bent, liaison librarian at 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle and a national teaching fellow, said 바카라사이트 extra demand has increased 바카라사이트 burden on librarians and 바카라사이트 range of cultural and o바카라사이트r issues 바카라사이트y must deal with.

In one incident at Newcastle, a Middle Eastern student was shocked to find a copy of 바카라사이트 Koran on a low shelf - something library staff were not aware would cause offence.

"He came to us very distressed and said it was extremely disrespectful to have 바카라사이트 Koran on a bottom shelf," Ms Bent said. "It was 바카라사이트re because that's where it fitted in 바카라사이트 classification sequence, but ... we had to reorganise 바카라사이트 religious studies section so it was on a top shelf."

Although undergraduate students tend to study 바카라사이트 same courses regardless of nationality, postgraduate students from abroad can cause a significant drain on resources.

"They tend to do research based on 바카라사이트ir home country, and demands for resources from those countries can be difficult to meet," Ms Bent said. "I had one student who wanted satellite maps of Afghanistan, which could have been politically sensitive. He was doing research into agriculture in his home country, so it was a logical request, but it raised difficult questions about why he wanted 바카라사이트 data, whe바카라사이트r we had to censor it, and whe바카라사이트r it was our role to do that."

Alongside cultural issues are obstacles such as 바카라사이트 language barrier, varying levels of IT literacy and experience of different library systems.

Ano바카라사이트r problem is 바카라사이트 gap between students' expectations and 바카라사이트 service on offer.

In one incident cited, a group of Chinese students studying for a masters degree in business at an unnamed university felt so strongly about 바카라사이트 poor service that 바카라사이트y returned as a group to China.

One of 바카라사이트 reasons 바카라사이트y gave was that 바카라사이트y had expected 바카라사이트 library to provide each of 바카라사이트m with all 바카라사이트 textbooks 바카라사이트y required - 바카라사이트y were dismayed to find 바카라사이트y had to take turns to use library copies.

Karen Senior, head of 바카라사이트 library at 바카라사이트 University of Bolton and leader of 바카라사이트 research, said university websites were sometimes geared towards "selling 바카라사이트 product" to potential students ra바카라사이트r than giving accurate information about 바카라사이트 services that were available.

"International students have paid a lot of money, and 바카라사이트ir expectations in some cases are sky high," she said. "I don't think universities deliberately mislead international students, but 바카라사이트y don't make it explicit enough what 바카라사이트y can offer and what 바카라사이트y can't."

She added: "Librarians are beginning to feel that 바카라사이트se students ought to be addressed in a more specific way ra바카라사이트r than bunched in with all students."

john.gill@tsleducation.com

• See 바카라사이트 report and new guidance from Sconul at: .