Many thanks to everyone who replied to my recent query about library orientation / induction activities for new international students . Here is a summary of the replies. 

Best wishes,
Alison Lahlafi (Sheffield Hallam University)

-  Induction in the Library & a hands on session. The induction includes the information we would normally give students e.g. opening hours, borrowing, help. We usually do a Catalogue demonstration. We often explain how books are arranged on the shelves and we also give the students the details of a book and get them to find it on the shelves as well. This generally works quite well.  

- Participation in an international student welcome week in the form of (bookable) library tours, a lecture to a large number on academic skills, a library/skills stand at the fair.  And we offer library tours and inductions for new Language Centre students on request.

- We're in the process of putting together a new induction DVD, with lots of visual demonstrations of e.g. getting into the library, using the self service machines etc.  We're considering promoting that as part of pre-arrival information for ISs, handled by the International Office.

- We give tours and an on-the-move introductory talk in groups of about 12, speaking slowly and clearly! It takes time, but saves time in the long run.

-We run a separate library 'chat' session and tour round for them during Welcome week. This is voluntary and is set up by the International officer. During the chat we sit round a table, show them a library webpage specifically for international students, have some books out on the table (ones about the area, plus books specifically for international students). Next year we will offer this session again several weeks into the term for the late arrivals. 

- We provide background information for the University's International Office when they are recruiting abroad.
 We liaise with the Centre of Applied Linguistics to support students who arrive to take a pre-sessional course in English; this underlines Library services, support and resources. Subject librarians run induction sessions and short library tours for these students in the summer.
3. We provide crib sheets and advice to the team leading orientation, which happens a week before the autumn term begins - 
4. In some years, the chair of the International Students Group has attended welcome events and spoken at the orientation fair, but it was hard to attract attention in that way, so we moved on to other means, especially online info.
5. We staff an information point in Freshers' week - this is for everyone. 
6. We created a Library web page for international students - and also a jargon list, which helps all new students. These web services are flagged up at subject inductions, and the whole web site is intended to be jargon-free and easy to navigate. There are a number of video clips on how to use the catalogue, find a journal and so on, which may help them as they can view them as often as they like, or when there are no staff members available to assist.
7. We have an audio guide to the Library, especially popular with internat. students - they can download the script to an i-pod or print out a Word version.
8. Library Advisors on duty at the entrance are briefed to look out for all new students, especially useful in October, and they also try to offer help to pre-sessional students, although last year take-up was fairly low.
9. We liaise fegularly with academic departments, the International Office and the Centre for Applied Linguistics to ensure that they all know what we can offer, and also to get their feedback. It's important to get the message out to academics and others, and as people move on, to do it again...  
10. Information skills training is offered to everyone on a course, we do not currently offer separate inductions apart from the pre-sessional groups.