Accessible Services
The Cal State LA University Library is committed to making our resources and services accessible to our campus community. Need further help or information about Library accommodations? Email us at [email protected] or call 323-343-3988, we'll connect you to the right resources.
Locating, Retrieving, and Borrowing Materials
Library staff can help users locate items to check-out. A One Card is required to check-out items at the 1st floor Service Desk. Requests can take up to 24 hours to fulfill. A notification will be sent to your email letting you know it is ready for pick-up.
Users may request materials through OneSearch to pick-up at the 1st floor Service Desk or from the 24/7 Lockers located outside the library. If you need accommodations when picking up materials, you may leave a note when placing your hold to alert staff of your needs.
For more detailed information, see the Borrowing page.
Printing and Scanning
The University Library cannot print items for free for anyone. Your Golden Eagle One Card is required for photocopying and printing. Library staff can provide instruction to patrons on how to use the Library printers, scanners, and money-loading machines.
Printers are available on Levels A, 1, and 3 of Library North. Scanners are available on the 1st floor of Library North near the Student Research Consultants.
OSD-registered students can request that Library staff scan Course Reserves and other academic materials. Requests may take up to 24 hours to fulfill. Make a request by visiting the Library North Service Desk or emailing [email protected].
Study Rooms
Study rooms can be reserved by students, faculty, and staff for 2 hours per day, up to 7 days in advance.
Wheelchair accessible individual study rooms can be found on the 2nd and 3rd floor, and wheelchair accessible group study rooms can be found on A level in A119D & A119E.
Pick a study room based on what matters to you, location, capacity, accessibility, or power outlets. If you arrive at your study room and find that shifted furniture blocks access, please call the Library North Service Desk at 323-343-3988 for assistance.
Basic Research
Student Research Consultants (SRCs) are Cal State LA students who have been trained to help with basic research and citation questions. For students registered with OSD, please email the Research Services Librarian to request a Navigate appointment with accommodations. Please allow 24 hours for a response.
For in-person drop-in consultations, students must self-disclose to the SRC that they are registered with OSD to extend their session beyond 30 minutes for a maximum of one hour.
SRCs can help students with basic research and citation questions. They can help students brainstorm keywords, walk students through a search in library databases, and help them evaluate the sources they find together. SRCs will provide examples of citations for different types of resources but will not correct students' citations/ reference page. The goal of the SRC program is to help students be more confident and self-sufficient in conducting library research and properly citing sources. SRC cubicles are located near the printer stations of Library North 1st floor.
Students reporting course-related accessibility technology issues will be referred to their OSD counselor.
Advanced Research
If you have a more complex assignment (such as: a literature review, a thesis, a major paper for an upper-division course, a topic that is somewhat obscure and not covered well in the Cal State LA collection, using primary sources or special collections, etc.) you can request a research appointment with a librarian. Librarians can provide you with strategies and resources to help you with your assignment. Appointments can be made for in-person or Zoom meetings. Please visit the Subject Librarians page to find your librarian.
Please Note: Hours are dependent on the individual Librarian's availability.
Elevators
Library North elevators can access levels A, B, 1, 2, 3, and 4, and are located to the right of the main entrance in the large group study area.
Library South elevators can access levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, and are located to the right of the main entrance, past the ITS Help Desk.
Restrooms
Library North restrooms with an accessible stall are near the elevators on levels A, B, 1, 2, and 3, near the elevators.
Library South restrooms with an accessible stall are outside the stairwell/elevator lobby on level 2. All-gender restrooms are located on level 1, near the ITS Help Desk. A baby-changing table can be found in Library South 1067.
Food and Drink
Water fountains can be found in the Library North and South buildings on all floors.
The Library North building has water fountains located between the elevators and bridges to the Library South, with bottle refill stations on the 1st and 3rd floors. Level A has a water fountain in this same area on that floor. Vending machines with drinks available for purchase are on Level A near the computer and printer stations, and on the 3rd floor near the Design Resource Collection. Food can be purchased from EveryTable on the 1st floor, near the main entrance.
Library South has a water fountain on the 1st floor to the right of the entrance, near the University Academic Advisement Center, and between the men's and women's restrooms on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, with bottle refill stations on the 1st and 3rd floors.
Service Animals
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are welcomed and permitted in University Library buildings. For details on what constitutes a service animal, please see the ADA's requirements for service animals page.
The University Library's policy on service animals is on the Library Policies page.
Emergency Procedures
In case of emergency, do not use the elevators. In an evacuation, an alarm will sound, or an announcement will be made to clear the building.
Anyone unable to use the stairs should wait by the nearest stairway. Evacuation chairs are available by every stairwell in the University Library. If a staff member is unavailable to assist you, please contact Cal State LA Public Safety at 323-343-3700 or 9-1-1. Advise those willing to help you of your needs, such as if your motorized wheelchair provides a life support function.
Computers
Windows-based computers are available in Library North on levels A, 1, and 3. All computers include pre-installed KURZWEIL, JAWS, FUSION, and ZOOMTEXT software. Users must log in with their MyCalStateLA accounts to access this software. Wired headphones are available by request at the Library North Service Desk on the 1st floor.
Library staff can open accessibility software, but cannot show patrons how to use them. Students registered with the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) can receive training on how to use these programs.
Visit the live computer availability chart to see which computers are free at any time in the University Library. If you need assistance identifying an available computer, please visit the Library North Service Desk on the 1st floor.
Assistive Technology Learning Center
For other technology accommodations, students registered with OSD should visit OSD's Assistive Technology Learning Center (ATLC). The ATLC offers support and training for assistive technology and related technologies. Services are available to registered students with the Office for Students with Disabilities and include Alternative Media Production and Assistive Technology User Support.
Braille and Text-to-Speech Resources
Braille tactical maps of campus are available at the Library Service Desk on the 1st floor. Signs located outside of Library rooms and offices feature braille.
Most databases available through the library catalog include an automated text-to-speech function.
Students, faculty, and staff have access to Adobe CC Pro for free, which includes access to Adobe Acrobat. Adobe Acrobat includes a read aloud feature that can be used to read articles. Adobe Acrobat may be able to read some articles better than others depending on how the article was formatted (i.e., HTML or PDF) and created.
Sensory Kits
Sensory kits, or stim kits, are available at the Service Desk on the 1st floor of Library North and can be checked out for seven days at a time. The kits include tangle toys, noise cancelling earmuffs, infinity cubes, anxiety sensory stickers, bubble timers, finger rings, stretchy fidget noodles, and stress balls.
Sensory kits are a collaborative effort between the Cal State LA Library and The Neurodivergent Student Collective.