It is important that every COCC student is familiar with the library, its location and its services. In accordance with COCC’s Library Guide For Disabled Users:
All services, resources, and equipment in and of Central Oregon Community College Library are available to all members of the community, and the library staff is ready to assist those whose physical disabilities would otherwise prevent them from using the library effectively. These services include:
- retrieving material that is out of reach
assisting in using the book catalog and other computerized databases
reproducing materials
aiding in entering and exiting when special routing is needed
allowing another person to charge out materials for the patron who is unable to get to the library
renewing loaned material by phone
providing information to a person with a physical disability by phone about the availability of materials and the reserving of such material until it can be picked up - to avoid an unnecessary trip for a person for whom mobility is a considerable difficulty delivery of materials charged by phone via campus mail when and where possible.
Video Relay System (VRS), providing telephone communication for deaf or hearing impaired persons utilizing sign language interpreting. Located on the main floor, North wall of the Reference section.
The library doors are wheelchair accessible and there is an elevator for public use that allows you to visit each of the library’s three floors. Stack aisles, index and reference tables, group study tables, and study carrels also conform to ADA standards for width, height or knee clearance for wheelchairs.
In addition, the library currently has a text magnifier machine that assists individuals with vision impairments in reading printed materials. The library has three adaptive computer workstations: one in the classroom for in-class use, one in the drop-in computer lab for productivity applications such as word processing and spreadsheets, and another in the book stacks area for library and Internet research. The machines have height adjustable keyboard trays and adjustable chairs. They are equipped with an alternative mouse, screen enlargement software, screen reading software and assistive software for those with reading/writing difficulties. The workstation in the book stack area also has text scanning and reading software and is mounted on a height-adjustable desk.
It is important to remember that the library staff is there to assist all library patrons, and for this reason they are not always available to provide extended periods of their time to help students with disabilities. If the assistance you require will take extensive time, you should arrange to take your own assistant or tutor with you to the library, or make an appointment with the library staff for more personal attention that is convenient for you both. Friends or classmates who are familiar with the library and its systems can also help. If you need special assistance that will take considerable time, it must be arranged in advance, so planning ahead is essential.
For more information, please visit the COCC Library website at http://campuslibrary.cocc.edu/
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