Claire Wiley (Belmont University), Meggan Houlihan (New York University – Abu Dhabi), and I conducted a systematic review of the LIS literature about international students and academic libraries. Our findings will be published in College & Research Libraries in May of 2017, but the preprint is available here: http://crl.acrl.org/content/early/2016/03/22/crl16-877.abstract

Abstract

This study is a systematic review of the library and information science (LIS) literature related to international students and academic libraries. A systematic review involves the methodical collection and analysis of a body of literature, and is growing in popularity in the LIS field. Three well-known LIS databases were systematically searched for articles related to the topic, and manual bibliography searches conducted to find additional publications. Journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers were included or excluded based on established criteria. Findings show that articles published about international students and academic libraries have increased steadily between 1990 and 2014. The majority of authors are affiliated with universities and institutions in the United States, although an increase in represented countries is apparent. Fewer than half of the articles can be considered original research, and surveys are the most popular method for data collection. The LIS field – and international students – would benefit from further exploration of this topic, particularly from original research with practical implications.