Services to Patrons with Disabilities

The UC Davis General Library is committed to equal access as articulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Patrons with disability-related needs are encouraged to request accommodations. The Library provides a positive environment in which an individual's needs can be accommodated and privacy respected.

Qualifying UC Davis students can receive accommodations to assist with library research. Contact the campus Student Disability Center (http://drc.ucdavis.edu/) at (530) 752‑3184 (voice) or (530) 752‑6833 (TTY) to inquire about this program.

General Library facilities have limited staffing during evenings and weekends, and occasionally during regular business hours. During periods of heavy use or light staffing it is suggested that patrons requiring assistance make prior arrangements so that the library can make the most effective provision for service. The following services are available during normal library open hours.

Reference Services

• Assistance with the use of library computers, catalogs, literature indexes, microform readers, or other library equipment.
• Calling another unit to see if an item is available or to ask a reference question.
• Assist with printing from library computers to printers and with emailing search results.
• Instruct or orient an individual or group, upon request, and with reasonable lead time.
• Help in filling out interlibrary loan, document delivery, reserve, or search requests.
• Schedule appointments for extended reference service if special provisions are required.
• In the absence of Reference or Information Desk staff, Circulation Services staff will help as staffing levels and expertise permit.
• Reference assistance is available by calling a reference desk or by email.

Circulation Services

• Retrieve books or periodicals from the stacks and shelf areas for persons unable to retrieve materials. A limit of five items will be paged while the patron is present (generally within 15 minutes); an additional 6-25 items will be paged within 24-48 hours. Requests must be placed in person, unless registered for the fee-based Document Delivery Service as a disabled person.
• Modify rules about Reserve materials and loan periods depending on circumstances.
• Arrange for the Library's Document Delivery Service to photocopy or scan materials at established rates. Alternatively, a client may bring an assistant to use the library's public photocopiers, or contract with an information vendor.
• Provide a proxy card or modify lending rules, as appropriate for the user's disability-related circumstances.
• Send library materials from any General Library unit to another General Library unit more convenient for the borrower. Non circulating items requested via the Document Delivery Service (DDS) are subject to DDS fees.
• Circulation assistance is available by calling a circulation desk or by email.

Special Equipment

• Windows software that magnifies computer images is installed on computers designated for low vision users in the Carlson Health Sciences Library, the Blaisdell Medical Library, the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library, and Shields Library.
• A video magnifier is available in the Shields Library, the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library, the Carlson Health Sciences Library, and the Blaisdell Medical Library.
• A Disability Access terminal for accessing UC Davis email accounts is available in the Shields Library reading room located behind the Information Desk on the first floor.
• The Adaptive Computer Area is also located in the Shields Library reading room located behind the Information Desk on the first floor. It has equipment designed for individuals with disabilities. UC Davis students who need to use this equipment should contact the Student Disability Center.
• Proximity readers are available to UC Davis students to allow access to the 24-Hour Study Room. Inquire at the Circulation Desk.

Other Information

More information on resources available to disabled students, and to the faculty and staff serving them can be found at the Student Disability Center (http://drc.ucdavis.edu/).

Disability Issues Special Collection, sponsored by the Forum on Disability Issues (FDI), is housed within the Women's Resources and Research Center Library (http://wrrc.ucdavis.edu/) in North Hall. Faculty, staff, and students may borrow from this community resource.