How can the Library help you?

The Library isn’t just somewhere you can get books. It’s somewhere you can do your work on your own or with others, escape sensory overload and get some help with studying. This section of the toolkit will introduce our library and the services it can offer you.

Background

We have specialist library staff who understand autism and want to help you make the most out of your time at uni. They can help you with finding, choosing and using library resources, amongst many other things.

How could this affect me?

Many students in the Autism&Uni surveys mentioned the library as somewhere they really enjoyed being, whether they needed some quiet space to get away from it all or find some help or just to get some work done.

The Disability Service has a quiet area in the Berkley Lecky Ussher library complex (BLU).  The Assistive Technology Information Centre (ATIC) is equipped with desktop computers, study spaces and a printer / scanner.

https://wisibel.com/view/458?mapfile=1892&menuid=248&searchbar=true&menu=true&entitymenus=true

What to do next?

Make an appointment with your academic librarian

Practical tips

You can contact a subject specific librarian for help with finding texts to complete your essays.

The library have also provided videos on withdrawing and returning books.

Questions to think about

The Disability Service works with the library to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are adequately met.

  • All areas of the main Library complex are accessible.
  • Personal Assistants: Students with disabilities requiring a P.A. may bring their assistant into the Library with them or alternatively on production of the student’s ID card, may borrow on their behalf.
  • Special Borrowing Rights: Students with a disability registered with the Disability Service may be entitled to special borrowing privileges and access to material that is normally restricted.  Please note that this list is sent to the Library on the last Thursday of each month and may take a couple of days to be processed by Library Staff.

    This allows the student (or their Personal Assistant) to borrow up to 8 items that may include non-Len/S-Len (e.g. Arts or Stack) when Len categories are not available or in heavy demand. The system allows these students to borrow 3 further items from Reserve Collections for use within the library. Read our Disability Loan Policy (PDF), or ask at the Main Enquiries desk in the Berkeley Library.

Further information can be found on the Library website at:  

https://www.tcd.ie/Library/using-library/disabilities.php