Accessibility

The University Libraries are committed to providing an accessible, inclusive experience for all library users.

We offer services and support to ensure equitable access to library materials and services and we will make every effort to accommodate accessibility requests.

Contact

Email access@appstate.libanswers.com with any accessibility questions or concerns, including requests for alternate formats or to report a barrier. You may also call the main library desk at 828-262-2818.

Building Accessibility for Belk Library & Information Commons

Parking & Transit:
- Pass & placard: Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm, you need both a university/visitor parking permit and a disability placard to park in designated accessible parking spaces on campus. After 5pm and on weekends, you only need a disability placard. Contact Parking & Traffic for visitor parking passes and accessible parking information, and see the campus map for parking lots and access ramps near the library.
- Transit: AppalCART provides paratransit service in wheelchair-accessible vans for locations near campus. Pre-registration and reservations are required.
- Dropoff/pickup location: The most convenient location for dropoff/pickup at Belk Library is the College Street bus circle. There is a short sidewalk with curb cuts from the bus circle to the back entrance of Belk Library. See the map of parking lots and access ramps near the library.
Entrances: Belk Library's exterior entrance has access ramps and power-assist doors.
Elevators: All floors are accessible by elevator. Elevator locations are marked in purple on the floor plan.
Restrooms: All library restrooms have accessible stalls. Single-occupancy restrooms are located on the fourth floor.
Low-distraction spaces and lighting:
- Quiet floor: The third floor of Belk Library is a designated quiet floor for those who need a study space with fewer distractions. There are walled study carrels throughout the floor to minimize visual distractions.
- Study room: Students, faculty, and staff may also book a study room.
- Lighting and sensory spaces: Most areas in Belk Library have bright lightning, but the first floor Sensory Room and third floor Sensory Lounge have lower lighting and other tools, like white noise machines, to support sensory regulation. Use the Space Finder to find a space with your preferred lighting and noise/activity levels.

Building Accessibility for the Hickory Library & Information Commons

Parking: ADA parking spots are available in the main parking lot by the main entrance.
Entrances: There are power assist doors located at the Main entrance and both side entrances.
Elevators: In the lobby off the main entrance are two elevators that go from the first floor to the fifth floor. There is a secondary elevator by the left side of the atrium which goes to the ground floor and up to the second floor.
Restrooms: In the lobby of the main entrance behind the service desk are two one-stall bathrooms. In the faculty commons are two one-stall restrooms and an accessible multi-stall restroom.
Low-distraction spaces: The Hickory Library offers four bookable study rooms and study pods for library users seeking a quieter work environment.

Building Accessibility for the Music Library

Parking: ADA parking spots are available in the Broyhill lot in front of the Broyhill Music Center (BMC).
Entrances: There is a power-assist door on the north side entrance. Use the walkway between Walker Hall and the BMC to reach the north side entrance.
Elevators: From the north side entrance, go right into the Main Lobby, and go straight past the staircase and a tan locker bay to get to the elevators, which will be on the left. Take the elevator to the second floor, turn right out of the elevator, and follow the hallway straight ahead to the Music Library.
Restrooms: The closest accessible restrooms to the Music Library are on the second floor, across from the elevators. There are also accessible restrooms on the first floor in the Rosen Lobby (to the left of side entrance once you enter the building).
Low-distraction spaces: The Music Library offers three bookable study rooms for library users seeking a quieter work environment.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

If an individual is unable to exit a library building without assistance, they should:
- Move to an area of refuge if possible:
  - Belk Library's fire-rated areas of refuge are the three emergency stairwells (red areas marked with "E" on our floor plans)
  - Music Library users should exit the library and wait in an emergency stairwell in the Music building.
- Call 911 and report their location within the building
- Inform the dispatcher that they need evacuation assistance
If library staff see a person needing assistance and they are not able to safely help the person evacuate, they should inform emergency personnel on site or by phone (828-262-8000 or 911) and note the person's location, description, and situation.
The alarm systems in Belk Library and the Music Library have strobe lights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing visitors. The Hickory Library's alarm system does not have strobe lights.

Access to Physical Materials

Item retrieval: For assistance retrieving items from the stacks, visit or contact the service desk. You may also request items and have them held at the desk for you. Faculty, doctoral, and distance/online students can request office/home delivery.
Alternate formats: If you need library materials in an alternate format due to an accessibility concern, please email access@appstate.libanswers.com and let us know the item(s) and format you need.
Special Collections Research Center (SCRC): Archives, manuscripts, and rare books are available by appointment. Please visit the SCRC website or contact spcoll@appstate.edu to schedule an appointment, and please notify the library of any accommodation need when making your appointment so that we can prepare materials in advance.

Access to Digital Materials

Website: The library website is how users find electronic materials in the library's collections. If you encounter accessibility barriers while using the library website, please email access@appstate.libanswers.com so that we can correct the issue and/or work with the database vendor to resolve the problem.
Digital Collections (Archives): Many of the Special Collections Research Centers's rare materials have been digitized on our Digital Collections site. Please contact spcoll@appstate.edu if you need additional support accessing or using these digital materials.
Document conversion: SensusAccess is a self-service document conversion tool available to all students, staff, and faculty. SensusAccess converts text and image-based files into more accessible formats, including audio, Braille, or e-text formats.
Research Assistance: For assistance finding library materials, ask a librarian or schedule a research appointment for in-depth help.

Printing, Software, and Equipment

Printing, copying, and scanning: The Print Zone on the main floor of Belk Library has a printer/copier at a height appropriate for wheelchair users, as well as flatbed scanners on a height-adjustable table. Print Zone staff are happy to assist users who visit during the Print Zone's staffed hours.
Magnification: Belk Library and the Music Library both offer LookStations for magnification.
Equipment checkout: The Tech Checkout Desk at Belk Library offers students, faculty, and staff members laptops, tablets, noise cancelling headphones and other equipment for checkout. The Hickory Library and Music Library also have a smaller selection of equipment available for checkout; contact each library for details.
Campus resources: See App State's Assistive Technology page for information about assistive technology available on a case by case basis through Disability Resources.

Service Animals

The University Libraries adhere to App State’s Animals on Campus policy.
In accordance with this policy, the libraries permit only service animals.

University Libraries