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Services for Users with Disabilities at VCU Libraries

The Web address for this page is: http://www.library.vcu.edu/services/disability.html

VCU Libraries is committed to providing equal access to the Libraries' facilities, resources and services for all library users.

Locations and Contact Information | Services | Equipment

Locations and Contact Information

James Branch Cabell Library, VCU Monroe Park Campus
901 Park Avenue, PO Box 842033, Richmond, VA 23284-2033
Phone: 804-828-1110; Toll-free: 1-866-828-2665

Research and Reference Desk, First floor
Phone: 804-828-1101
Virginia Relay enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing,
DeafBlind, or speech disabled to communicated by TTY (text telephone)
or another assistive telephone device with anyone who uses a
standard telephone. To make a Virginia Relay call, just dial 7-1-1

Circulation and Information Services Desk, First floor
(804) 828-1111

Building Access:
Wheelchair ramp access available on either side of the main entrance.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms in basement and on First, Second and Fourth floors.

Tompkins-McCaw Library, Medical College of Virginia Campus
509 North 12th Street, P.O. Box 980582, Richmond, VA 23298-0582
Phone: 804-828-0636; Fax: 804-828-6089

Service Desk, First floor
Phone: (804) 828-0636

Building Access:
Wheelchair ramp at entrance near 12th Street.
Wheelchair accessible restrooms on the First floor.

Questions or concerns?

Contact Jason Morris, Disabilities Coordinator for the James Branch Cabell Library at jamorris@vcu.edu / phone: (804) 828-8507 ;

or Mary Jane Green, Disabilities Coordinator for the Tompkins-McCaw Library, at mjgreen@vcu.edu / phone: (804) 828-0824. Or use the Online Form.

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Services

Orientations and Library Assistance

  • The VCU Libraries' staff provide individualized library orientations and assistance with library resource use and equipment.
  • VCU students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to call or make an appointment at the Cabell Library Research and Reference Desk or the Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.

Book/Journal Retrieval

  • Place request for specific books at the Cabell Library Circulation and Information Services Desk or Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.
  • Place request for specific journal articles at the Cabell Library Research and Reference Desk or Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.
  • You may also use the online "Item Request Form" to request books or journal articles.
  • Items are ready for pickup within 24 hours.
  • Items can be delivered between Cabell and Tompkins-McCaw Libraries.

Resource Delivery Service Between the VCU Libraries

  • Resource Delivery Services staff retrieve, photocopy, and deliver VCU Libraries articles between campuses.
  • Place requests at Cabell Library Research and Reference Desk or Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.
  • You may also use the online "Item Request Form" to request books or journal articles from the other campus.
  • No charge for persons with special needs.

Photocopying

  • Make requests for articles and book pages to be copied at the:
    • Cabell Library Research and Reference Desk, First floor
    • Tompkins-McCaw Service Desk, First floor
  • Copies are made using the individual's copy card.
  • Copies are ten cents per page.

Community and Campus Referral

Information on services for persons with disabilities available at the Cabell Library Research and Reference Assistance Desk and Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.

Related VCU Web sites:

  • VCU EEO/AA Services (Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Services) — http://www.vcu.edu/eeoaa/
  • VCU's Partnership for People with Disabilities is recognized by the federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities as a university center for excellence in developmental disabilities. http://www.vcu.edu/partnership/history.html

Links to Other Resources on Disabilities:

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Equipment

Specialized Computers:

  • All public access computers in both VCU Libraries have Microsoft Magnifier screen magnification software. On the first floor of the Cabell Library there are two computers with 20-inch color monitors, one with Microsoft Magnifier screen magnification and one with Jaws synthesized voice screen reading software, used for accessing library databases. Patrons must ask for headphones at the Research and Reference Desk.

  • Assistive Technology Room, First floor, Room 153.
    The Assistive Technology Room, located in the southeast corner of the Cabell Library, is intended primarily for vision impaired users. The room is wheelchair accessible. To use the room, please present an ID for the room combination at the Research and Reference Desk or at the Circulation and Information Services Desk. User guides for equipment are available. Please ask Research and Reference Desk staff for assistance. The room contains:
    • Merlin Monitor — a full-color video magnifier that recognizes voice commands.
    • SARA - Scanning and Reading Appliance with monitor and headphones that scans and reads printed materials; reads Daisy audiobooks and audio CDs.
    • Flatbed scanner and computer with JAWS and Open Book software which scans and digitizes printed text. It reads text aloud with a synthesized voice or will save to a computer file.

  • Braille dictionary, sign language materials, large print dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia and atlas — Ask at Cabell Library Research and Reference Desk

Other Assistive Equipment:

  • Cabell Library, Second, Third and Fourth floors
    • Computer with 20-inch color monitor on each floor
  • Tompkins McCaw Library, First floor behind Service Desk
    • Four workstations
    • Installed special software: Jaws, OpenBook, Naturally Speaking
    • Installed hardware: Scanners, Embosser, Headphones, Microphone

Voyager/Visualtek Reader

  • Magnifies printed material onto a TV-type monitor.
  • Tompkins-McCaw Library, Second floor

Media and Reserve Services, located on the Third floor of Cabell Library contains Four-Track Cassette Player/Recorder for Talking Books; Omni Page - an optical character recognition software for those who need to scan and convert paper and PDF documents into formats such as Word, Power Point, TXT, RTF, and Excel. Media and Reserve Services also has Closed-Captioning on most of its TVs and features TVS that have Descriptive Video Service (DVS) programs and videos. DVS describes key visual elements in a program that a viewer with a visual impairment may miss.

Virginia Relay
http://www.varelay.org/

Virginia Relay enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, or speech disabled to communicated by TTY (text telephone) or another assistive telephone device with anyone who uses a standard telephone.

Access.Adobe.Com is a tool that allows visually impaired users to read any document in Adobe PDF format. The tool converts PDF documents into simple HTML or ASCII text which can then be read by a number of common screen reading programs that synthesize the HTML as audible speech. The online conversion form is available at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_onlinetools.html.

Adobe Acrobat Professional is available in Media and Reserve Services on the third floor for individuals who need to created PDF fields.

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Need Help? If there is anything that we can do to make your use of VCU Libraries more effective, do not hesitate to ask. Any information you provide is strictly confidential. For all questions or concerns, contact Jason Morris, Disabilities Coordinator for the James Branch Cabell Library at jamorris@vcu.edu / phone:(804) 828-8507; or Mary Jane Green, Disabilities Coordinator for the Tompkins-McCaw Library, at mjgreen@vcu.edu / phone: (804) 828-0824.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran's status, political affiliation or disability.