Internationalization and the Canadian Academic Library: What Are We Offering?

Abstract

Although the population of St. John’s, Newfoundland, is largely homogenous recent Census data reveal that its inhabitants are 98% Englishspeaking and visible minorities make up around 1% of the population one can’t help but notice that from behind the Information and Research Help desk at the Queen Elizabeth II Library (QEII) of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), things look a lot more diverse than reflected in the general population (Statistics Canada, 2006, 2012). Despite the remoteness of the province and its small size (around half a million people call it home), what is happening on the MUN campus is part of a greater trend in academia affecting university campuses all over Canada and the United States, which is the rise of the international student. This research study was undertaken to examine the role of the library within the Canadian academic institutions these international students attend, and the services that are being offered to them. The main questions we sought to answer are: do academic libraries in Canada offer specialized services for international students? And, if so, what types of programs are being offered? This information will be useful for future program development at our institution, and other universities and colleges throughout Canada and the rest of the world.