Library Accessibility Services

Library Access: Entrances and Floor Plans

Entrances to all campus libraries are accessible for individuals using wheelchairs or scooters. 

Floor plans for Mills and Thode. Accessible washrooms are located in each library.

Book Retrieval

• Retrieval service by library staff is available.
• Find the books you would like in the catalogue.
• Select the "Request Item" button. Then, log in with your MacID or library account.
• You will receive an email notifying you, once items are ready to be picked up. 

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

• In an emergency, users unable to navigate the stairs should proceed to a central area of the floor.
• Staff members will find you and move you to the designated location.
• Designated evacuation zones are marked on each floor.
• They are near a staircase, the main staircase in Thode, and the central staircase in Mills.
• Please speak with a staff member for more information or assistance in locating the evacuation zone for the floor that you are on.

Campus Accessible Tech Space

• CATS is available to any student registered with SAS.
• The room offers both private and public study spaces.
• Please check out our Assistive Technology page for a listing of hardware and software.
• CATS is open during the same hours as the main library.
• It is accessed by a keycard issued once a user has registered.
• Registration can be completed online through the CATS Registration Form,
• If you need assistance completing the form, visit the Library Accessibility Services office at L212/C.

Consultation Room

• LAS staff will identify students eligible to use the Consultation Room during their CATS application and contact them directly.
• The room can be booked through the Room and Equipment Bookings system for a maximum of four hours per day.
• Students may drop in if the room is not being used.
• If someone has booked the room, they will be given priority use. 

CATS Campus Location

We are located at L212 on the second floor of Mills Library, near elevator two, left of the LAS office through the keycard-accessible door.
 

Accessibility and Accommodation

Highlights:

• Wheelchair-accessible
• Scent-Free
• A quiet conversation area near the entry area, a mostly silent study in the back
• An aquarium
• Many private study booths, including automated height-adjustable tables.
• Through our service desk, we can offer library book renewal
• Sound-dampening couches for partial isolation
• Games, puzzles, knitting kits, and other de-stressors (If you knit, you can also contribute to our volunteer knitting/crocheting project with the Warm Hope Squares Program).

Technology

These are some of the items in our AT lending library which can be used or borrowed by students registered with CATS.

Computers & Peripherals

• MAC laptop preloaded with Kurzweil 3000, Adobe Pro, JAWS, and Dragon Dictate (Dragon NaturallySpeaking)
• PC laptop preloaded with Kurzweil 3000, ZoomText 11, Adobe Pro, and JAWS 18, as well as the standard complement of PC software found on Library Computers.
• BOOX Concussion monitor/tablet: Fast, low-flicker, no glare, similar to a Kindle Paperwhite. An interactive surface to replace light-projecting monitors, phone productivity software, or handheld pads.
• Cintiq Wacom Tablet
• iPad &  Apple pencil
• Large Print Keyboard
• Microsoft Adaptive Mouse - a set of 6 interconnected pieces that work together to create a mousing experience unique to each individual.
• Various computer adaptors, computer mice, and accessories

Audio, Recorders & Reader Pens

• C-Pen Reader Pen: This scanning and reading pen uses OCR/Optical Character Recognition technology to read printed text aloud. It also has a built-in dictionary and a voice recorder.
• db9pro digital recorder
• Evistr
• Freestanding Snowball Microphone
• Headset with Microphone
• Livescribe EchoPen: The pen pairs with your phone to capture lectures and written text.  You can save it, search it, and replay portions as needed.
• Smart 3 pen: This pen captures lectures and written text. You can save it, search it, and replay portions as needed.

CCTV

• HumanWare Connect 12 - Portable CCTV that enlarges text locally and at a distance. It can be used to magnify books, lecture slides, and content displayed at the front of the class. It also includes an OCR program and reads text aloud.

Daisy Player

• DAISY Player: DAISY allows visually impaired listeners to navigate something as complex as an encyclopedia or textbook, which would otherwise be impossible using conventional audio recordings

Desks

• AboveTek Portable lap desk
• Birdrock Home Sofia + Sam Lap desk
• Ergonomics Table

Space Regulations

We ask that CATS patrons be mindful of other users' auditory or isolation needs by observing the following restrictions:

• As a quiet study space, we require that sound levels be kept to a minimum while you enjoy our area
• Please be considerate and take part in phone or video calls outside of CATS.
• Non-registered guests are not permitted into CATS as we have limited space and want to ensure everyone's privacy.
• While consuming beverages is permitted, the consumption of food is not while in the space because of food allergies.
• If you move furniture, please return it to its original position.
• To provide a safe space for all patrons, everyone is encouraged but not required to wear a mask to protect those who are immunocompromised or medically fragile.
   

How to Register

Our CATS space is only available to students who have formally registered with SAS. Registered SAS users will need to request access to enter CATS by filling out this form to request access (or using the tab on the side of this page). You may drop in L212/C at the LAS office if you require assistance completing this form. Access is not issued on a drop-in basis; it is only issued by completing the request form. You will be contacted by email when your request has been processed and you may begin to borrow a CATS card from the first floor circulation desk. 

About CATS

In the fall of 2018, Mills Library opened the doors to our new Assistive Technology Lab, which was named our Campus Accessible Tech Space (or CATS) shortly after that, through a student naming contest. We seek to provide equitable resources, facilities, and services to foster dignity and independence for McMaster University members.

CATS Walkthrough

To get a sense of what CATS looks like, and the features available, please check out our video walk-through.