Information for people with disabilities
General Information
Assistance from staff
Staff of the UM Libraries are happy to provide additional services for the research and personal information needs of its patrons with disabilities. Service Plus Information and Research Services staff will assist with the use of the catalog, as well as periodical indexes and reference materials. One large screen workstation in the McKeldin Library first floor public Electronic Research area is wheelchair-accessible.
Before beginning in-depth research, patrons with disabilities should contact a librarian subject specialist to ensure uninterrupted assistance. An individual with a visual impairment is expected to bring a reader/assistant if extensive use of resources is anticipated.
Retrieving, checking out, and renewing materials
If your disability limits your ability to retrieve materials from the book stacks, it is recommended that you bring an assistant with you. Assistance in retrieving books will be provided by circulation staff as time and staff permit.
Upon request, the library will issue a special sticker to students with disabilities that will allow a personal attendant or reader to check out and renew materials for the student without the student having to come to the Libraries. To qualify, the student must have certification from Disabled Student Services (301-314-7682; TTY-301-314-7682).
Contact us
If you would like an orientation or have other questions about the library services and access, contact Dan Newsome, Coordinator of Library Services for Persons with Disabilities at McKeldin Library at 301-314-7958 or wdn@umd.edu.
Adaptive Technology Lab
An Adaptive Technology Lab for persons with visual impairments is located on the first floor of McKeldin Library. It is independently accessible for wheelchair users.
For information on use of equipment in this room and training in its use, contact the Coordinator of Library Services for Persons with Disabilities at McKeldin Library, 301-314-7958.
Access to Parking and Buildings
Architecture Library
- Phone: (301) 405-6317
- Parking: 3 reserved spaces in Lot O east of the Architecture Building; curb cut.
- Entrance: Lower level (from Lot O) - automatic door. Elevator to Library level. Upper level (from Campus Drive) - automatic door. Same level as Library.
- Internal access: Stairs to mezzanine where part of the circulating collection is kept. Ask staff for assistance.
- Restrooms: There are no public restrooms in the Library. In the Architecture building, restrooms are on upper level (across from the Visual Resources Center) and on lower level (near Gallery). Both are wheelchair-accessible and have grab bars.
Art Library
- Phone: (301) 405-9061
- Parking: 3 reserved spaces in Lot 1 behind the Art-Sociology Building.
- Entrance: From Lot 1, automatic door. Freight elevator at the end of the hallway goes to the level of the Library. From the Tawes Plaza, automatic doors; elevator to the right of the lobby to the 2R level. From Campus Drive (lower level) automatic door. Freight elevators to the left through double doors or use ramp to elevator to go up to level 2R.
- Internal access: Steep ramp into Library. Stairs to mezzanine where non-folio books are kept. Call in advance for assistance.
- Restrooms: Public restrooms in main part of building on the same level as the Library are wheelchair-accessible.
Engineering and Physical Sciences Library
- Phone: (301) 405-9157
- Parking: 3 reserved spaces in Lot E behind the building.
- Entrance: From Lot E automatic doors. Elevator to the left of the doors goes to Library level (1st floor). Library entrance has one automatic door.
- Internal access: Elevator with lowered controls, raised and Braille numbers, and audible signal. Call in advance for access in technical reports.
- Restrooms: All floors. All are wheelchair-accessible and have grab bars.
Hornbake Library
- Phone: (301) 314-2710
- Parking: Vehicles with state issued disabled driver tags or stickers and valid university parking passes may park in the designated spaces on level G, 1, 2 and 3 in Regents Drive Parking Garage at no charge. Current construction in Regents Drive Garage necessitates using the entrance at Stadium Drive on the north side of the parking garage. Construction also limits the number of designated spaces available. The pedestrian ramp that leads from Regents Drive Garage to Hornbake Library is on the third level. The pedestrian ramp can be accessed by elevator from the levels G, 1 and 2.
- Entrance: Main entrance - ramps and automatic doors.
- Internal access: Elevators and escalators.
- Restrooms: Ground, 1st floor, 2nd floor, and 3rd floor - near elevators. One stall with grab bar at each location.
- Public telephones: Push-button pay phones (34" from the floor) on the ground floor, 2nd floor and 3rd floor near the elevator.
- Campus telephones: Push-button campus telephones on the portico and the 2nd floor near the elevator.
- Services: In Nonprint Media Services (301-405-9236) there are automatic doors, wheelchair-accessible stations for videodisc, videotape, audio cassette, dial access and internet access. Dial access stations with amplifiers and closed caption decoders are also available.
Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library
- Phone: (301) 405-9217
- Parking: 3 spaces on the Valley Drive side of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. Additional spaces across the street in the Stadium Drive parking lot.
- Entrance: Automatic door on the Stadium Drive side of the building.
- Internal Access: Elevator
- Restrooms: On the ground floor, just outside of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center lobby.
- Public telephones: On ground floor, just outside of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center lobby
- ATM: Just outside of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, Braille and voice guided system.
McKeldin Library
- Phone: (301) 405-9075
- Parking: There are 5 handicapped parking spaces between McKeldin Library and the College of Journalism. Two of the spaces require both a valid university parking permit and a license plate/DMV tag indicating handicapped status. Three spaces require only the license plate/DMV tag indicating handicapped status.
- Entrance: Two automatic doors on east side of building.
- Internal Access: Elevator
- Restrooms: All floors near elevators/stairwells. All wheelchair-accessible with grab bars. A private accessible restroom (the "family restroom") is located near the Circulation Desk that is on the first floor.
- Public telephones: Push-button pay phones (34 inches from the floor) on the ground floor, 2nd floor and 3rd floor near the elevator.
- Campus telephones: Push-button campus telephones on the portico and the 2nd floor near the elevator.
White Memorial Chemistry Library
- Phone: (301) 405-9078
- Parking: Vehicles with state-issued disabled driver tags or stickers and valid university parking passes may park in the designated spaces on level G, 1, 2, and 3 in Regents Drive Parking Garage at no charge. From G, 2 and 3 of Regents Drive Parking Garage take the elevator to the street level.
- Entrance: Main entrance to Chemistry Building - ramp and automatic door. Go down hall to left past the lecture halls and through double doors. The Library is on the right.
- Restrooms: There are no public restrooms in the Library. The closest restroom with handicapped access are in Wing II of the Chemistry Building on the right hand side of the hall. Both restrooms have handicapped access but no grab bars.
