TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose This paper aims to describe librarians’ efforts in reaching out to international students through vernacular language videos at both the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Oregon. The videos were created to help international students familiarize themselves with the new library environment and to stimulate their interest in the future exploration of library resources and services.Design/methodology/approach This paper discusses the challenges of providing effective support to international students in the early stages of their academic life in the USA, explains the rationale for using vernacular language videos as a means of outreach to international students, outlines the factors considered in designing the videos that helped achieve the outreach goals and reviews promotion needs and assessment methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the videos.Findings Using online videos in native languages as a means to extend the reach of the libraries to international students is seen as useful and practical. Feedback from students and library colleagues shows positive reaction to the videos and provides encouragement for further outreach efforts to international students.Practical implications The strategies and experiences detailed here are easily adaptable to other institutions of higher education committed to developing outreach programs for international students.Originality/value The novelty of this case study is the librarians’ sophisticated thinking in developing vernacular language videos as a means of outreach to international students. The video project presented in the paper can function as an inspiring example for institutions preparing for the expected large influx of international students.
VL  - 44
IS  - 3
SN  - 0090-7324
DO  - 10.1108/RSR-10-2015-0044
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-10-2015-0044
AU  - Li Xiang
AU  - McDowell Kevin
AU  - Wang Xiaotong
PY  - 2016
Y1  - 2016/01/01
TI  - Building bridges: outreach to international students via vernacular language videos
T2  - Reference Services Review
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 324
EP  - 340
Y2  - 2024/04/20
ER  -