Accessibility guide

General introduction

Senate House Library offers support to all users with a disability or requiring additional accessibility support. We recognise that many disabled users will be self-sufficient, while others may have particular needs for assistance dependent on their disability. The service is committed to ensuring that all users are able to take full advantage of our facilities and services.

If you need any advice about access to the Library or our services, please contact us and we will do our best to provide the help you need. To contact us please email Charlotte McDonaugh at Charlotte.McDonaugh@London.ac.uk or phone on 020 7862 8468. For accessibility book fetching please email shl.enquiries@london.ac.uk

Many of the Libraries services and resources can be accessed from the website at senatehouselibrary.ac.uk.

This guide contains the following information

  • Access to the Library including the layout and fire evacuation information here
  • Additional services and facilities including fetching, postal loans, alternative format information guides, induction loops, proxy borrowing service, photocopying assistants and disability lift access here
  • Specialist equipment and study aids here
  • Contact Information for general help and specific support here

Access to the Library

Library Layout

The Library is located on the fourth to seventh floors of the Senate House building. To get to the Membership Desk and the Library Service Hall you will need to take the lift from the Senate House, South Block ground floor up to the 4th floor. If you need to use the car park, please contact reception@lon.ac.uk in advance so that staff can reserve a space for you.

Books and periodicals are located in the South Block from floors 4 to 7 with lift access to the 4th floor. Lift access to the 5th, 6th and 7th floors is available upon request at the 4th floor, Library Service Hall, Enquiries desk.

You can use one of the appropriate lift phones to call the associated service point to return to a lower floor. To call the desk simply press the top button and it will automatically connect you.

If accessing the shelves is difficult you can request books via our fetch service or have a proxy borrower collect or find books in your behalf. (See below for more information.)

The Membership Desk is situated on the 4th Floor straight ahead as you come out of the lift. The Enquiries Desk is located in the Library Service Hall, also on the 4th floor.

The disabled toilets are located on the 4th floor. Please ask staff at the nearest service point to direct you.

Fire Safety and evacuation procedures

Fire icon

(Inserted image of 'Refuge Point' sign.)

The emergency alarm is a continuous ringing bell. There are no visual alarms in the Library. In the event of an evacuation, staff will walk across the floors of the Library to ask users to leave by the nearest fire exit. There are designated refuge points for those unable to leave the building by the stairs. The refuge points are located towards the middle of each floor, opposite the staircase. They are denoted by a green sign (see image above).

If you are having difficulty reaching the refuge point, please alert a member of staff. If the alarm is a drill staff will inform you of this when they re-enter the building. In the event of a genuine fire alarm your presence will be reported to the fire brigade who will enter the building via the stairs to evacuate you.

Additional Services

Fetching Service

If the shelves are difficult to access we can fetch materials, which should be collected from the Circulation Desk, South Block. To arrange this please email shl.enquiries@london.ac.uk with the details of the items you require. If it is not possible to email please call on 020 7862 8468 or ask at a Circulation Desk. Please give at least one working day’s notice.

Proxy Borrower Service

If you would like to bring an assistant when you visit the Library, we are happy to provide reference access for them. They can borrow, return and renew books on your behalf. To arrange this you simply need to write a letter stating that you give your proxy borrower permission to use your account. They will need to come to the Membership desk with:

  1. A statement granting them permission to use your account
  2. Photo ID
  3. Proof of address (an original document such as a utilities bill).

 

You may wish to email shl.enquiries@london.ac.uk in advance so that we can alert the Membership Desk for you.

Extended Loans

We are able to provide extended loans for readers - this service must be requested by the college disability unit or learning support officer. The request must be made by sending an email to: Charlotte.McDonaugh@London.ac.uk.

  • Short, 2 week loans = 3 week loans
  • Regular 4 week loans = 6 week loans

Postal Loan Services

If it is not always possible for you to get to the Library we can post books and journal articles to your home college library if you are in the University of London or to your home address. To use our Postal Loan Services please email shl.postal@london.ac.uk. More information about Postal Loans can be found at the bottom if this page.

Photocopiers

The Library has photocopiers located around the Library. Your library card (if it has a photo on the front) doubles as your printing card. You can top this up with credit from the Circulation Desk or the top-up kiosk in the Library Service Hall. Staff will provide you with a receipt. All photocopiers have an enlarging function that may help if you have a visual impairment and the display screen can be angled to improve ease of use. If you find it helpful to read from coloured paper, staff at the Circulation Desks can supply paper in a range of colours for use in the photocopiers. If necessary the photocopier’s display can be angled forwards, towards the user.

Service and Subject Guides in different formats

You can find information about Senate House Library on the Library website at senatehouselibrary.ac.uk and detailed information about the individual collections is available from the Collections and Gateways link on the main page.

Induction Loops

Fixed and portable hearing induction loops are available in the Library Service Hall. Please inform a member of staff if you would like one to be used.

Specialist equipment and study aids

Disability image

(Inserted image of 'accessibility options' catalogue desktop shortcut.)

General IT equipment

All computers and Library catalogue machines have 19 inch monitors available for you to use. All computers have a desktop shortcut to the Windows accessibility features including Windows Magnifier.

Orthopaedic chair

The library has one fully adjustable orthopaedic chair with an additional number of back supports. If you would like to use the chair please ask at the Enquiries Desk, 4th floor, South Block. Staff can offer additional assistance if you need help adjusting the chair or would like it moved to a specific location within the Library.

Desk Lamps

If you need additional light to study in the Library, desk lamps are available. If you would like to use one please ask at the Enquiries Desk, 4th floor, South Block.

Magnifying glass

The Library has a hand-held magnifying glass available from the Enquiries Desk, 4th floor.

Writing slopes

The Library has four writing slopes that can be used to decrease back and neck strain. Please ask at the Enquiries Desk in the South Block, Library Service Hall for more information. If you need one moved to another location please ask a member of staff who will be able to assist.

Further Support and Contact Information

We are happy to provide advice and individually tailored support for readers with additional access needs. It may help us to know about your requirements in advance. Discussions with Library staff are confidential, although it may be necessary to share information with a third party in order to make adjustments to the service. In order to prevent a reader with special requirements from having to repeatedly explain their needs to different members of staff, some information may be recorded on our membership database with the reader’s consent. 

Our Disability Support Co-ordinator is Charlotte McDonaugh and she can be contacted by email on Charlotte.McDonaugh@London.ac.uk or telephone 020 7862 8468.

For more general support please contact staff at our Enquiries desk on 020 7862 8461 who will provide help with accessing electronic resources and locating the information you need.

We welcome feedback from users on all aspects of the service as this helps improve the Library service we deliver to you and future users. You can complete an online feedback form on the website or at the Circulation Desk in the Library.