Foreign Students in American Library Education: Impact on Home Countries

In the first detailed examination of the subject, Maxine Rochester surveys the benefits and problems associated with training foreign librarians and information science professionals in the United States. First providing background on the general issue of foreign students seeking higher education in the United States, the author analyzes historical trends and current developments. The library and information sciences student is considered next, together with the features of American education that attract foreign students. Issues such as sources of funding, selection of students, admission procedures, difficulties experienced by foreign students, and their effect on library schools are discussed. The impact on the development of library and information services in their home countries is examined in detail.