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Services for Users with Disabilities: Home

This guide provides an overview of services the Library offers in support of students and staff with disabilities.

Welcome to the University of Bath Library

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity for all users of our services and facilities.  We do this by providing appropriate facilities, including assistive software and equipment, as well as assistance with using the Library and accessing its resources.

This guide provides an overview of services the Library offers in support of students and staff with disabilities. More detailed guides to our services are available on the following page: http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/help/guides.html. We can provide any Library guide on coloured paper, on request. This guide is also available in PDF document format for download below.

Your Subject Librarian

Your Subject Librarian will be happy to meet with you for a one-to-one introduction to the Library and a confidential conversation about the library support that you require.

You can find contact details for the Subject Librarian for your Department on the following pages: http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/services/contact/subject.html.

Further information

For advice on support available for students with disabilities, please contact the University’s Disability Service, email: disabilityadvice@bath.ac.uk or call 01225 385538.

Physical Access

  • There is one central Library building on campus, open 24 hours a day all year, including all national holidays.  
  • During semester, Library staff are available on the subject floors until at least 5pm, and at the Issue Desk from 9am to 7pm weekdays and 10am to 5pm at weekends.  
  • University Reception on Level 2 is staffed 24 hours a day by members of the Security Service.  
  • There are wide automatic sliding doors at the Library entrance, then gates into the Library which swing open when your Library card is placed on their sensor. Reception staff will open the adjacent, wider glass gate, on request. Inside the Library, there are three stairwells and a lift to all five floors.

What to do in an emergency

  • Call Security Control: 666 from University phones or 01225 383999 from a mobile. All three stairwells have refuge areas on Levels 2 to 5, with call points to Security.  

  • University Reception on Level 2 is staffed 24 hours a day by members of the Security Service, all of whom are qualified first aiders.  

  • If the fire alarm sounds, do not use the lifts, but leave the building by the nearest fire exit, or wait in one of the stairwell refuge points and use the wall-mounted call point to contact Security.  

  • If the invacuation siren sounds, stay inside the building, away from windows and doors and close to a networked computer if possible. Follow advice provided by Security or Library staff, or the networked computers.

Alternate Formats

If you find it difficult to view the Library’s print or electronic resources, ask your Subject Librarian about alternative formats which can be provided.

  • The Library may be able to obtain reading resources in a more accessible format, such as PDF, directly from the publisher.
  • We can also produce scans which are rendered accessible by an Optical Character Recognition process that works with most screen readers. Unfortunately, this process does not work on mathematical or scientific equations, formulae or symbols. Please make Library staff aware if you require alternative formats for this type of content.
  • Alternatively, all the scan/copy/print machines in Copy and Print on Level 2 of the Library can produce free PDF scans. Staff at the Copy & Print point will be happy to help if you need assistance.

Fetching books and journals

If you have difficulty reaching books or journals on the shelves, Library staff will be happy to fetch these and put them aside for you to collect.

If you are a University of Bath student with a support worker we can arrange for them to borrow books on your behalf. If your support worker does not have their own Library card, staff at the Issue Desk will provide them with an access-only card.

For enquiries about borrowing books, please email library@bath.ac.uk or call 01225 385000.

Assistive Technology

There are networked computers on all floors of the Library and the entire building is wireless-enabled. Students and Staff with specific needs or injuries may also be able to borrow software and equipment such as a laptop, audio recorder or visualiser, for short or longer term loan.

Students and Staff don't need to disclose disability to the University to qualify for Assistive Technology Support. All computers and laptops have a range of assistive software installed, including speech-to-text, mind mapping and screen-reading utilities.

Contact

You can request advice and support with assistive technology from Luiza Bell or Will Trimble, http://go.bath.ac.uk/assistive-technology-portal.

Further information is available at: https://www.bath.ac.uk/professional-services/assistive-technology/.

Dedicated study room

There is a dedicated study room at the back of Level 2 containing:

  • a low-level colour printer. The Copy and Print printer fleet also includes a low-level colour device.
  • computers with additional specialist software and hardware providing:
    • speech-to-text
    • screen magnification
    • scanning
    • dedicated print and Braille output. 
  • ergonomic workstations with:
    • height adjustable desks
    • adjustable chairs
    • adjustable screens.
  • Touchscreen is also available.

Students can request access to this room by contacting the University’s Disability Service, email: disabilityadvice@bath.ac.uk or call 01225 385538.