Moving towards a more culturally aware library through food film and discussion by Kirsty Carver & Sophie North, Bradford University

1. ‘Moving towards a more
culturally aware library
through food, film and
discussion’
Kirsty Carver and Sophie North

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Discussion
• Do you find any of the issues discussed
in this clip to be a problem?
• Do your students find referencing and
plagiarism difficult?

11. 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

12. • 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…