Purpose - This study examined the ability of international graduate students to utilize the Emporia State University library’s online Catalog to retrieve information for their research projects.

Design/methodology/approach - The data collected through a quantitative method. It consisted of a structured survey questionnaire sent to all graduate students at Emporia State University based at the university during the 2006-2007 academic year.

Findings – The majority of the students in this study reported they were successful in finding information for their academic needs in the Emporia State University library and indicated that the online catalog was a “very important” part of the process. Although none of the students believed the online catalog to be unimportant, the majority expressed that it would be easier to utilize if it had search terms and instructions in their own languages.

Conclusion - It is the Researchers’ hope that the findings of this study will assist the library of ESU in modifying the online catalog search to address the barriers encountered by international graduate students.