Unregistered Students

Students have the option to register for the following services.

Campus Accessible Tech Space (CATS)

We are located at L212 on the second floor of Mills Library near elevator two, left of the LAS office, through the keycard-accessible door.
 

Accessibility and Accommodation

Highlights:

• Wheelchair-accessible 
• Scent-Free
• A quiet conversation area near the entry area, a silent study in the back
• An aquarium
• Private study booths, including automated height-adjustable tables with built-in digital memory controllers.
• Through our service desk, we can offer library book renewal
• Sound-dampening couches for partial isolation
• Games, puzzles, knitting kits, and other de-stressors (If you knit, please see our current Squares 4 MacKids volunteer knitting/crocheting project in cooperation with Wellwood's Warm Hope Squares Program).

Technology

Also, from our service desk within CATS, we loan the following items:

• BOOX Concussion monitor/tablet (low contrast, no-flicker viewing surface for those with migraines, ADHD, concussions, etc.) 
• A C-Pen Readerpen (pen text scanner/reader)
• Access to a desk scanner (users can scan documents and make them accessible with Kurzweil or Adobe Pro)
• A MAC laptop preloaded with Kurzweil 3000, Adobe Pro, JAWS, and Dragon Dictate
• A PC laptop preloaded with Kurzweil 3000, ZoomText 11, Adobe Pro, and JAWS 18, as well as the standard complement of PC software found on Library Computers
• CCTV: used to magnify print documents which are displayed on a screen. The colour of the letters and the background can be adjusted to the user’s preference.
• Motorized Height-Adjustable tables with programmable height settings, all with HDMI-cabled monitors. Two tables are included in the privacy booths.
• Scanner: users can scan documents and make them accessible with Kurzweil or Adobe Pro.
• Freestanding Snowball Microphone
• Headset with microphone
• Livescribe EchoPen
• Magnifying glasses, sheets, and bars
• DAISY player
• Various computer adaptors and accessories

Space Regulations

We ask that CATS patrons be mindful of other users' auditory or isolation needs by observing the following restrictions:

• As a quiet study space, we require that sound levels be kept to a minimum while you enjoy our area
• Please be considerate and participate in phone or video calls outside of CATS.
• We also ask that users refrain from inviting non-registered guests into CATS as we have limited space. 
• While consuming beverages is permitted, we ask that CATS users not consume food while in the space because of food allergies. 
• If you move furniture, please return it to its original position. 
• To provide a safe space for all patrons, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask to protect those who are immunocompromised or medically fragile.
   

About CATS

In the fall of 2018, Mills Library opened the doors to our new Assistive Technology Lab and was named our Campus Accessible Tech Space (or CATS) shortly after that through a student naming contest. We seek to provide equitable resources, facilities, and services to foster dignity and independence for members of McMaster University.

Library Books

ACE (Accessible Content E-Portal)

All library material can be requested in an alternate format, except items too fragile for the scanning process.

Follow these steps to request your title:

1. Find your book in the Library Catalogue. 
2. Request your title by filling out our "Request Accessible Copy" Form.  You will need your ACE Token, which will be sent to you after you have registered for LAS services.
3. Once you have submitted your request, we will process it and contact you as soon as the material is ready.

ACE is a collaborative approach to creating accessible material through the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL). Content is curated through the requests from patrons at the 21 OCUL institutions. By requesting you are helping to grow the collection. Learn more about ACE. 

You are welcome to search the ACE repository for books; you may access any books you find of interest without requesting additional permission.  Your token is your permission.  

ACE supports 5 different formats: PDF, B&W PDF, DAISY, TXT, and ePub.  If you need a different format, please contact the office.

HathiTrust

The Library is a member of HathiTrust. The HathiTrust digital library includes more than 17 million volumes digitized from libraries around the world. The collection primarily books, includes journals and other published materials and includes both in-copyright materials and public domain titles. Over 100 universities around the world curate the collection. All items in HathiTrust can be provided in accessible formats. If you would like to request one of these items, please contact the LAS office. We will place a request on your behalf for an accessible version of that material.

Internet Archive

We also have access to alternate formats of content available through the Internet Archive.  For more information on accessing this content, please contact the LAS office.

Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA)

Students are encouraged to register for services through the public library.  You are able to request supplemental library books in a variety of formats, including print Braille and human narrated audio formats.  For more information, please visit the CELA Home page.
 

Requesting an Accessible Material Not in our Catalogue

You may find that you need additional research materials that are unavailable in an accessible format during your studies. Please fill out this form, and we will review your request and make every effort to accommodate you in a timely manner. 

SensusAccess

As students, staff, or faculty, you have access to an online document conversion system that automates text and image-based file types into different accessible formats. By uploading files through a web interface, one can select from various output options, depending on the format you upload, including audio, Braille, or e-text formats. Learn more about SensusAccess.