Facilities for users with disabilities
Central Library | Education Library | EPS Library | Law Library | Macmillan Brown Library | The Library catalogue | Proxy Borrowing | Emergency evacuation
Central Library
- Access - If the Central Library stairs are a barrier, please contact the Disability Support Service to arrange alternative access to the Library.
For students who use wheelchairs or who have other mobility difficulties, arrangements can be made to use the ground floor entrance to the Library. This entrance is located next to the 360° Café underneath the Library. The door-opening mechanism on this door is operated by a proxy card which means that the user only needs to wave the card in front of the box on the side of the door for it to open. The proxy cards are available from the Students with Impairments Service. Please use this lift to go to Level 2 only.
For access to all other floors in the Library, including the Loft, all students are requested to use the East or West lifts on the north side of the Library.
Temporary disabilities – for students who have a temporary disability e.g. crutches, baby in a pram and who are not entitled to register with Students with Impairments Service, please ask at the Central Library Information Desk to fill in a form requesting temporary access on your Canterbury card to the Library’s ground floor entrance (next to the 360° Café).
There is also a push bell by this entrance and ringing this will alert a library staff member to assist you. Staff responding to the bell have a flight of stairs to negotiate, so please be patient! - Toilets - Toilets with wheelchair access are available on level 3, 5 and 7.
- Photocopying - Public photocopying machines are available on Levels 2 and 9. If you have any difficulty in doing the copying yourself, arrangements can be made in advance for the Copy Centre staff to do it for you. Phone 366 7001, ext 8714.
- The Alcove - A dedicated area for students with disabilities to use computers. This area is next to the Copy Centre on level 2 of the Central Library. It contains 3 computer workstations with height adjustable desks for wheelchair users. The Alcove also has Pulsedata Smartview reader, an electronic magnification system for the partially blind which may be used for viewing text.
Education Library
- Access - Access is through automatic doors at ground level. There is a lift that gives access to level 2. Access to the lift is via security tag - please see staff at the Information Desk, or the Support Co-ordinators if you require this.
- Computer - A computer with a large screen and adjustable desk is physically located in Room 204 of the Library and can be used by disabled students. A scanner, voice dictation, and screen reader software can be installed on demand by contacting the Support Co-ordinators.
- Toilets - Toilets with wheelchair access are located on Levels 1 and 2 of the library
- Photocopying - Public photocopying machines are available on Levels 1 and 2. If you have any difficulty in doing the copying yourself, arrangements can be made in advance for staff to do this for you. Phone 434 7736, or ext 44613 during library opening hours.
EPS Library
- Access - Access is through automatic doors at ground level. There is a lift that gives access to levels 2 and 3.
- Toilets - Toilets with wheelchair access is through the EPS Library next to the Cave.
- Photocopying - Public photocopying machines are available on Level 1. If you have any difficulty in doing the copying yourself, arrangements can be made in advance for the photocopying staff to do it for you. Phone 364 2155, or ext 6155 during library opening hours.
Law Library
- Access - Access to the Law Library is through the southern side of the Law building. There is parking for persons with disabilities available to the west of the building. Lift access is available from the foyer to the Library. To access Level 3 by lift, users can be issued with a Cardax card from the Law Library Service Desk. (You will need your Canterbury Card for this.)
- Toilets - There is a toilet with wheelchair access on level 1 and also on both Library floors.
- Photocopying - Library staff are happy to help with photocopying and retrieval of books from the shelves, but because there are busy times when staff may not be able to provide this service, we ask that wherever possible, users with disabilities give us advance notice of requests. The staff can offer a 24 hour turnaround. Please phone 364 6752 or ex 6752 during library opening hours
Macmillan Brown Library
- Access - This Library is accessible from the lift in the lobby, on level 1.
- Toilets - A toilet with wheelchair access is available on level 2
The Library Catalogue
Users with a PC and modem at home can access the Library catalogue remotely. If you do not have a web browser, contact the Information desk in any library for information on connecting via modem.
Proxy Borrowing
- The Library is now able to offer a new service to disabled borrowers who find the Library buildings a challenge to get into and get around.
- The borrower should approach the Lending Services desk (Central Library) about having another person authorized to check out items on his or her behalf. An authorizing agreement form will need to be completed. This form contains a description and conditions of the Proxy Borrower function.
Emergency Evacuation
In an emergency in any of the libraries, either bells or sirens ring continuously. If you are at ground level in these circumstances you will be able to make your way out of the building. However if you are above ground level, go to the stairwell landing on that level. On the landing, you will be safe from fire, and smoke from a fire, for a considerable period of time. Seek assistance from an able-bodied person who should stay with you on the landing while someone else reports your location to the Fire Service. Do not use the lifts.
Library staff in all libraries are trained to act as floor wardens, but in some circumstances, particularly outside normal hours, there will not be enough staff available to clear the entire building immediately. In such circumstances, those parts of the building not cleared by Library staff will be cleared by the Fire Service when they arrive. If you use a library regularly, talk to staff there about your best course of action in an emergency.