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Disability Services

We are committed to providing accommodations for patrons with disabilities. Please contact Library Disability Services at LibraryDisabilityServices@cornell.edu if you need assistance in accessing our library facilities, materials, and services. You can also find additional resources, including BookShare, at Student Disability Services.

Assistive Technology in the Library

All of our public computers include assistive software, Adobe Creative Suite, NaturalReader plug-ins for Chrome, and JAWS 2018 screen-reading software. Adobe Creative Suite includes Adobe Acrobat Pro for creating accessible PDFs; you must create a free Adobe ID (which doesn’t have to be attached to your Cornell NetID) in order to use Adobe Creative Suite. For advanced PDF accessibility, look for the libraries below with ABBYY FineReader PDF.

Some of our libraries include different types of Assistive Technology. You do not need to identify as a person with disabilities in order to use this equipment; this equipment is available to anyone who wants to use it.

  • Catherwood Library has 3 adjustable height tables in the reading room, including one with a color e-ink monitor and ABBYY FineReader PDF software. Laptops and noise-cancelling headphones are also available for checkout (ask at the circulation desk).
  • Mann Library has an Assistive Technology workstation, which consists of two computers; one computer with a Braille Printer and associated software (instructions for the Braille Embosser), and a second computer with a scanner and ABBYY FineReader PDF software. In 2024, Mann added a Sensory Study Room available for reservation. This room includes a black and white e-ink monitor, adjustable lights, comfortable chairs, and an adjustable height table.
  • Olin Library has a Merlin text magnification LCD screen, an Assistive Laptop with Dragon Naturally Speaking (ask for it at circulation), noise-cancelling headphones (added in 2024), and a scanning computer with ABBYY FineReader PDF software in room B12. Olin also has a printer on a low table for easy accessibility and other scanning computers with different software available for students.
  • The Law Library has an assistive laptop with the Legal version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking software (ask for it at circulation; you may need to reserve it ahead of time). Use is limited to Law School students and faculty.
  • The Flower-Sprecher Veterinary Library has an assistive laptop with Dragon Medical installed. Ask for it at the circulation desk; you may need to reserve it ahead of time. Use is limited to Vet School students and faculty.
  • John Henrik Clarke Africana Library has an adjustable height desk and a laptop riser available for all students.

HathiTrust Equitable Access

In participation with HathiTrust, Cornell University Library provides access for eligible patrons with print disabilities to items within the HathiTrust Digital Library. Access is facilitated through a proxy. If you wish to use this service, please refer to the Patron Guide to Equitable Access for Books in HathiTrust (PDF) for step-by-step instructions, and contact the Library’s proxies through CUL-HTProxy-L@cornell.edu.

Definitions:

  • Eligible patron: an affiliated user at a supporting institution who has a print disability for which access to digital copies of library books is a reasonable and appropriate accommodation.
  • Print disability: a disability, such as a visual impairment, learning disability, physical disability, or other disability that impedes access to printed content in the standard way.
  • Proxy: a representative designated by a HathiTrust Supporting Institution who accesses in-copyright content on behalf of an eligible patron.

Additional Services

We offer the following services to help you use the library effectively:

  • ScanIt: Library staff will scan a book chapter or journal article and send it to you as a PDF via email to view on your own computer.
  • Library-to-library book delivery: You can request that materials be paged and sent to the library of your choice.
  • BorrowDirect: If Cornell does not own a particular book that you would like access to, or Cornell’s copy is checked out to someone, you can search for the item in BorrowDirect. BorrowDirect is a shared database of 12 partnering institutions that share materials by shipping them rapidly to one another for a 56-day loan period. Turnaround is usually 1 week or less.
  • Interlibrary Loan: Materials that Cornell does not own and that are not available through BorrowDirect can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
  • Private study or work spaces: In some of our libraries, privately assigned study desks are available for semester-long use. Please check with each individual library for more information.