The library offers several services that are of particular use for patrons with disabilities. Note that, for campus-wide accommodations and other concerns, students should contact the Office of Disability Services.
For all patrons, assistance with any area of the library (including finding books and using library technology) is available from staff. Please see the circulation desk (309-794-7310) or the research help desk (309-794-7206).
The library website is designed with a good-faith effort to adhere to web accessibility best practices, namely the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
Accessibility information (including Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® and links to accessibility statements and guides) for some databases and electronic resources is available at CARLI's VPAT Repository.
Kurzweil 3000 software, located on the workstation closest to the door in the 3rd-floor computer lab, performs text-to-speech for electronic documents as well as physical (using the attached scanner). Headphones or earbuds are required to use this software. (Headphones are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk.) Students who need to use the Kurzweil software have priority for use of this particular workstation.
Headphones are available for 2-hour checkout at the circulation desk.
The 1st and 3rd floors are designated quiet floors, where headphones must be used for any audio, and conversations must be kept quiet and brief. This includes the 1st floor quiet room, which is intended for individual study with no conversation allowed. There are also study rooms available for checkout on the 2nd and 3rd floor; though they are not soundproof, they can provide a quiet and isolated place.
The main entrances to the building are on the 5th floor (outside of the dining hall) and on the 2nd floor, at the top of a set of stairs. As an alternative to the 2nd-floor entrance, there is an accessible door located to the left of the main stairs. It is unlocked when the library is open. If the library is closed or if there is another issue (such as the internal elevator malfunctioning), call Public Safety at (309) 794-7000 to arrange for transportation to the other half of campus.
The building consists of 5 floors. The library has internal elevators that stop at floors 1 through 4. Outside of the library, there are elevators that go between the 2nd and 4th floors. There is an elevator that goes between the 4th and 5th floors located next to the 5th-floor entrance and behind the stairs to the dining hall.