Accessibility in the Library

Montana State University is committed to affording students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the university's academic and non-academic activities by providing access and reasonable accommodations that may be necessary to assure access.  The MSU Library provides access and services in support of this goal.

For library collections that are not accessible, the library will work to provide reasonable accommodations and access to users with disabilities. For assistance, or to provide comments and suggestions, please email the library. 

Accessibility Requests

For online library content or collections that are not accessible, the MSU Library will work to provide reasonable accommodations in an appropriate time-frame to users with disabilities. For assistance, or if you have suggestions or comments, please email the library, or contact the library in another way.

We are committed to making our physical library spaces and services accessible to all users, and we know we can do better. Please email the library to let us know how we can improve.

For course material or textbooks that are not accessible, submit a request through the Office of Disability Services. 

Digital Accessibility

Library Digital Accessibility Commmittee (L-DAC)

Montana State University is ramping up its efforts to make its resources and services more accessible to all individuals. In Fall 2018, the library created a digital accessibility committee to oversee and communicate efforts across the library to increase the accessibility of our digital library resources. 

The library digital accessibility committee supports the Library Strategic Plan Objective 1.1, "Users will...interact with a welcoming and responsive physical and digital library environment” and Objective 2.1, "We will...create useful, dynamic, and accessible digital and physical spaces."

Commitee Goals

To increase accessibility of digital library resources, by May 31, 2021, the library will make efforts to establish the following:

• New library web content published in the campus CMS platform will be accessible from the point of creation
• Existing library content on all webpages in the campus CMS platform will be made accessible when the content is updated
• Increased accessibility of library content outside of the campus CMS platform including Digital Collections and ScholarWorks platforms
• Accessibility requirements when procuring third-party library information resources
• Service for patrons to request a more accessible version of digital library content on demand

See our helpful links below for Guidelines & Resources for Creating Accessible Content. 

Accessibility Software on Public Computers

• All public computers have access to built-in Microsoft Accessibility software including Magnifier, Narrator, On-screen Keyboard, Color Contrast and Filters, and more. 
• All public computers are installed with Read&Write Gold (RWG) software.

Physical Accessibility

Library Entrances

• The north (main) entrance entrance doors are accessible and electrically powered.
• The west entrance is not accessible.

Services

• There is an adjustable height counter at the Service Desk in the main lobby.
• The Service Desk (in the 1st floor lobby) offers assistance in retrieving materials.
• Request It! services can be used to get materials from other libraries or request accessible scans of articles or book chapters in the Library's physical collection.
• Group Study Rooms are available for student use.

Mobilility in the Building

• One public elevator is available and accessible to all floors and services.

• On 1st Floor we have a lift located across from the service desk, and a ramp located behind Brewed Awakening coffee shop.

Physical Resources

• Public computers are available primarily on the 1st and 2nd floors. The first floor includes several accessible computers, including three with electrically powered height-adjustable tables, one attached to a scanner, and one with an EZ See large print keyboard.
• Printers are available on all floors, including a printer on the lower level of the first floor directly adjacent to two ADA accessible computers with electric tables.
• The library has ten, electrically powered height-adjustable tables: Three on the 1st floor, two on the 2nd floor, three on the 3rd floor, and two on the 4th floor.
• For more information on where physical technology is located in the library, visit our Technology Services page.

Library Spaces

For more information on accessibility of individual library spaces, see our Library Spaces Page. 

Restroom Accessibility

• Gendered restrooms are available on the 2nd and 3rd floors and in the basement, and are accessible via the public elevator. There are no restrooms on the 1st or 4th floors.
• Single-stall gender neutral restrooms are available on the 2nd and 3rd floors and are accessible via the public elevator, but they are not ADA compliant.

Classroom Accessibility

• The Heathcote classroom in the basement is accessible via the elevator; it has two accessible computers.
• The Innovative Learning Studio (ILS) is in the southwest corner of 1st floor. It is accessible via the ramp or the lift.

Campus Accessibility Resources

Physical Accessibilty on Campus

For more information about accessibility around campus, including a campus map, see Access for People with Disabilities. 

Disability Services

The Office of Disability Services has information and services for students, faculty, parents, and prospective students.

They also handle requests for course material or textbooks that are not accessible.

Academic Technology & Outreach

The Office of Academic Technology & Outreach supports instructors making educational content accessible for students with disabilities.

Office of Institutional Equity

The Office of Institutional Equity works to ensure an environment of non-discrimination and equal opportunity in its education programs and employment opportunities, and has an online Discrimination & Harassment Reporting Form.

Guidelines & Resources for Creating Accessible Content

The library has used the following resources in our efforts to make digital library content more accessible: 

• Web Content & Campus CMS: MSU's Creating Accessible Web Content
• Word: Make your documents accessible
• PowerPoint: Make your presentations accessible
• Excel: Make your spreadsheets accessible
• PDF: How to save an accessible PDF in Office
• PDF: Make PDFs accessible in Adobe Acrobat Pro
• Video & Screen-Capture: Steps to Make a TechSmith Relay Video Accessible

There are also LinkedIn Learning video training courses:.

• Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Office
• Creating Accessible PDFs
• Accessible Video: Caption, Search, and Compliance Strategies
• Teaching Techniques: Making Accessible Learning