|
|
||
|
The Albert Sloman Library |
 |
|
|
|
||
|
The Albert Sloman Library |
|
|
|
Library Users with Individual Needs |
|
|
Table of contents  Library Quick links |
The Library is committed to ensuring that all students can make full use of its services and collections. This guide is intended as a general guideline to Library facilities and services that are available at the Albert Sloman Library for people who have a disability or a specific learning difficulty. All the staff are happy to help readers and these notes highlight aspects of our service that may be tailored to your needs. At the start of the year the Student Support Office supplies the Library with a list of all staff and currently registered students who have special needs, and this list is updated as necessary throughout the year. In addition to the automatic revolving doors there is an adjacent sliding door available for disabled users. The sliding door can be activated by a swipe card or a proximity key operator worn around the neck or arm. Ask at the Student Support Office if you would like either of these. Take place at the beginning of the academic year. If you miss them or wish to have a more detailed tour directed to your specific needs please contact Mary Pelowski. You may find that the virtual tour available from the Library web site covers your requirements. This can be found by clicking on the link for 'virtual tour' in the section 'Finding information and help' on the Library web page http://libwww.essex.ac.uk/ Short loan books are issued during the day for 4 hour periods and may be read outside the Library during this period. They may be borrowed overnight, from 4.30 p.m. until 10 a.m. the following day. They must be returned to the Library for renewal as we cannot guarantee that a renewal will always be possible. If you use the on-line booking system, this facility will ensure that a book is available for you at a specific time. The Library uses email facilities as its default means of communication. If you do not find this convenient please let us know and we will explain the alternatives to you. You should address any queries about books that you have on loan via e-mail to circmail. We aim to deal with all messages within 24 hours. There is also a general comments email address at libline which you may want to use for general Library queries or comments. Please also contact Mary Pelowski with any specific problem that does not fall within these categories and especially any concerning your special needs, e-mail maryp Non-Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full e-mail addresses. You may fax a request to the Library to renew your books. The number is 01206 872289 and the request must be made between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the renewal to be made on that day. Books may be renewed by telephone on (01206) 873187 at the following times: Term : Monday - Friday 9 am - 9.40 pm / Saturday 9 am - 5.40 pm / Sunday 2 pm - 6.40 pm | Vacation : Monday - Friday 9 am - 5.10 pm. Alternatively you can ring or ext. 3182 (Col 873182) outside of ordinary renewal times and ask for Mary Pelowski. Please note, however, that the Library is a busy place, and we cannot always guarantee to answer the phone first time. If you have trouble getting through do try again later. If a book has been recalled by another student it will not be possible to renew it, by telephone or otherwise. The Library uses email facilities as its default means of communication. If you do not find this convenient please let us know and we will explain the alternatives to you. You should address any queries about books that you have on loan via e-mail to circmail. We aim to deal with all messages within 24 hours. There is also a general comments email address at libline which you may want to use for general Library queries or comments. Please also contact Mary Pelowski with any specific problem that does not fall within these categories and especially any concerning your special needs, e-mail maryp Non-Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full e-mail addresses. There are over 1,150 reading places throughout the Library, some of which have been specifically designed for people with special needs. The Large Reading Room on the entrance level is a particularly useful area for wheelchair users. For anyone who has difficulty using the continuously moving paternoster lift or negotiating the stairs there is a staff lift which may be used. In the Large Reading Room on the entrance level there is also a CCTV magnifier for people with sight difficulties. If you need help using this ask at the Circulation Desk. Are provided for the benefit of hearing aid users. They are placed at the Enquiries Desk on the first floor and the circulation desk (near the photocopier card sales point) on the entrance level. Are available on the ground floor and first floor via 16 self-service machines. All are able to enlarge print. If you receive help for your copying costs please ensure that you keep the receipt provided when you buy it. A scanner is available in the Large Reading Room for public use. It is at the far end of the room on the left hand side. The PC next to it contains the software that you need to use it and the instructions on how to use it. Monitor Arms Adjustable monitor arms are installed on one PC workstation on each floor of The Library. Monitor arms permit adjustment of the height of the monitor as well as of the user's viewing and focal distance from the screen. Positioning the monitor screen at the correct viewing height eliminates strain to the neck and upper back of the user, as well accommodating users seated at different heights, for example in a wheelchair. Windows XP Accessibility Menu All University open access laboratory PCs, installed with the Windows XP operating system, have the below accessibility menu enabled on the Windows Start Bar > Accessibility. See:
http://www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/labs/accessibility.htm#pc for more
information Zoomtext Installed on all public computers in The Library. Zoom text is a fully integrated magnification and screen reading program that can enlarge, enhance and read out all on-screen information. This software enables large print users to magnify the contents of their computer screen, and listen to it read out in synthetic speech at the same time. TextHELP! Read & Write TextHELP! Read & Write software aims to assist users with dyslexia or other difficulties which affect their English reading and writing abilities. It is a vocabulary support package which talks, types, checks spellings, and can even predict what the user wishes to type. TextHELP! Read & Write can be used with word processors, spreadsheets, databases, email and Internet. It provides a simple toolbar that "floats" on top of any open application waiting to provide assistance when called upon. Click here for more information. If you have difficulty finding books and other materials members of the Library staff will be happy to fetch them for you to collect from the Circulation Desk on the ground floor. Please let us have a list of items in advance as we may not be able to collect at certain times of the day or at the weekend. See contact details below or talk to anyone on the Circulation Desk or Enquiries Desk. For those students whose disability may prevent them coming to the Library easily, arrangements can be made for books to be collected and borrowed on their behalf by a friend or colleague. Please contact circmail if you would like to nominate someone to do this for you. Non-Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full e-mail addresses. Are entitled to a library borrowing card in their own right. Are located on the ground floor and on each floor of the library. We request that readers with mobility problems sign in when they use the library so that we are aware of the floor on which they are studying should there be an emergency such as a fire alarm. The Library welcomes comments from all students and staff about the service offered, and we would be particularly pleased to receive suggestions from those with special needs. |
 |
