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Services for People with Disabilities
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries are committed to equal access as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Users with special needs are encouraged to request accommodations. The Libraries provide a supportive environment in which an individual's needs can be met and privacy respected.
W.E.B. Du Bois Library
The W.E.B. Du Bois Library houses materials (books and periodicals) primarily for the humanities and social sciences. The directory of the building describes the locations of materials. Also located in the Library are the following departments: Learning Resource Center on the 10th Floor for academic tutoring and supplemental instruction, and the Assistive Technologies Center with adaptive devices on the Lower Level.
Entrance to Building
The entrance to the Library is located on the south side of the building, facing Old Chapel. The Main Entrance has two button-activated, electrically powered doors. Elevators provide access to all floors.
The accessible elevator from the Entrance Level to the Lower Level is opposite the Procrastination Station counter. The Lower Level and the 2nd Floor have wheelchair-accessible bathrooms for men and women. The telephones (campus and pay) in the east lobby of the Entrance Level are wheelchair accessible.
Assistance Available
- For assistance in retrieving books from the shelves, ask at Circulation Services (545-2622) on the Entrance Level.
- For assistive hardware and software, use the Assistive Technologies Center on the Lower Level.
Circulation Services (Entrance Level, 545-2622)
Staff will arrange to retrieve books and journals from the stacks and hold them for you at the Circulation Desk. Your UCard serves as your library card. If you cannot pick up the materials yourself and plan to give a friend your ID to obtain them for you, please complete the Proxy Application Form. Bound journals circulate, but you can also make special arrangements to have articles copied for you with your copy card. There is also a wheelchair-accessible photocopier on the Lower Level if you prefer to do the copying yourself.
Reference and Research Assistance (Lower Level, 545-0150)
To begin research, take the elevator down to the Lower Level. Library staff at the Reference and Research Assistance Desk are there to help you get started with the research process. You may prefer to make an appointment in advance of your visit for in-depth research help with a reference librarian. The Lower Level has wheelchair-accessible PCs and printers.
Assistive Technologies Center (Lower Level)
The Assistive Technologies Center is located on the Lower Level of the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. The Assistive Technologies Center (ATC) offers technology services to any member of the University community with an ADA-defined disability. This lab is coordinated by OIT Computer Classrooms. There are several workstations and a variety of hardware and software to assist users with research, information, and study needs. For assistance with the room, its equipment, or software, visit the Learning Commons and Technical Support Desk on the Lower Level.
To use ATC services, you must register with Disability Services and hold an active OIT Account.
Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library (ISEL)
(Lederle Graduate Research Center, low rise - 2nd Floor, 545-1370)
Several parking spaces for the disabled can be found between Lederle low-rise and the West Experiment Station.
The entrance to the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library (ISEL) is on the 2nd floor of the Low Rise section of the Lederle Graduate Research Center. If you are in a wheelchair, enter the building at the north end and take the elevator to the 2nd Floor.
Enter ISEL at the south end of the building. An elevator within the Library makes all but the basement floor accessible without staff intervention. Library staff at either the reference or circulation desks will assist users who are disabled.
Last Edited: 4 February 2010
