Access and Equipment for People with Disabilities

Equipment for the use of people with disabilities is available in the Library. In the Main Reading Room, a Kurzweil Reading Edge provides auditory access to English language materials from the collections. For assistance, see a reference librarian in the Main Reading Room. In addition, closed circuit magnification devices are available in the Main Reading Room, the Science Reading Room, the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room, the Manuscript Reading Room, and the Employment Office. This equipment allows magnification of materials from the collections for people with visual impairments. A variety of equipment for people with disabilities is available to provide auditory and large print access to records in the Library's Online Catalog. "Window-Eyes" software (a speech synthesizer for auditory access) is available in the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room.

Entrance ramps are located at the west (First Street) and southeast (Second Street) entrances to the Thomas Jefferson Building (ground level); the north (Independence Avenue) and south (C Street) entrances to the James Madison Building (first floor and ground level); and at the west (Second Street) entrance to the John Adams Building (ground floor).