For immediate release:
January 5, 2009

For more information, contact:
Lee Anne George
Association of Research Libraries
202-296-2296
leeanne@arl.org

Library Support for Study Abroad, SPEC Kit 309, Published by ARL

Washington DC—The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has published Library Support for Study Abroad, SPEC Kit 309, which explores how ARL member libraries are responding to the needs of faculty and student participants in various types of study abroad programs.

Research universities have long supported study abroad programs of varying nature, including short-term study tours and service learning experiences, as well as semester- and year-long academic programs. For this SPEC survey, “study abroad program” was broadly defined as a short-term, formal, credit-bearing educational program taking place outside of the country of the home institution. As society becomes more globally focused, and industry requires workers who are prepared to work in a multinational environment, these programs are becoming more critical to America’s competitiveness.

Providing research materials and library services targeted to participants in study abroad programs is a particular challenge. This SPEC Kit explores which library services and resources are provided to participants, how library support is staffed and administered, whether collections are physical or online, and how services are delivered.

The survey was distributed to the 123 ARL member libraries in May 2008. Of those 123 libraries, 53 libraries completed the survey by the deadline of June 27 for a 43% response rate. Of the 53 respondents, 44 (83%) reported that their university sponsors study abroad programs. At 26 institutions, study abroad programs receive library support, at 12 they do not. Four respondents did not supply this data, though one explained, “The programs don’t receive library support but the individual students are supported.”

Thirty-one libraries report that students and faculty have remote access to online resources through the home institution in North America. Twenty-three of those libraries (74%) report that employees at the home institution in North America provide library services remotely. Slightly fewer than half also rely on a host partner for access to physical and online resources and staff to provide services. Only nine home institutions provide collections at the study abroad site and only five of those have staff who provide services. In open-ended comments, several respondents reiterated that students and faculty with a valid ID and an Internet connection have access to all the same online resources and services wherever they are located.

This SPEC Kit includes documentation from respondents in the form of study abroad program Web pages and descriptions of library services for these programs.

The table of contents and executive summary from this SPEC Kit are available online at http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/spec-309-web.pdf.

Ordering Information

SPEC Kit 309, Library Support for Study Abroad
Ann Lindell
December 2008 • ISBN 1-59407-808-4 • 128 pp. • $45 ($35 ARL members)

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SPEC Kits Exchange Information

Designed to examine current research library practices and policies and serve as resource guides for libraries as they face ever-changing management problems, each SPEC Kit contains a summary analysis, survey questions with tallies, pertinent documentation from participating libraries, and a reading list and Web site references for further information on the topic.

Subscribe to SPEC

2008 SPEC Kit subscription (ISSN 0160-3582): $220 ARL member/$290 nonmember, six issues per year, shipping included (additional postage may apply outside North America).

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 123 research libraries in North America. Its mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve. ARL pursues this mission by advancing the goals of its member research libraries, providing leadership in public and information policy to the scholarly and higher education communities, fostering the exchange of ideas and expertise, and shaping a future environment that leverages its interests with those of allied organizations. ARL is on the Web at http://www.arl.org/.