Accessibility and disabled library users | Cambridge University Library
Source: https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/accessibility
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:36
Accessibility and disabled library users | Cambridge University Library
skip to content
Study at Cambridge
About the University
Research at Cambridge
Search site
Home
Study at Cambridge
Undergraduate
Undergraduate courses
Applying
Events and open days
Fees and finance
Postgraduate
Postgraduate courses
How to apply
Postgraduate events
Fees and funding
International
students
Continuing education
Executive and professional education
Courses in education
About the University
How the
University and Colleges work
Term dates and calendars
History
Map
Visiting the University
Annual reports
Equality and diversity
News
A global university
Events
Public engagement
Jobs
Give to Cambridge
Research at Cambridge
For staff
For Cambridge students
For alumni
For our researchers
Business and enterprise
Colleges & departments
Email & phone search
Give to Cambridge
Libraries
Museums & collections
Home
Using the Library
Cambridge University Library
Home
Using the Library
Using the Library overview
Your library membership
Your library membership overview
Online resources and services
Remote services
Remote services overview
Visit the University Library
Visit the University Library overview
Library service updates
Accessibility and disabled library users
Accessibility and disabled library users overview
Research
Research overview
University Library Research Institute
University Library Research Institute overview
Digital Preservation
Digital Preservation overview
Digital Humanities
Digital Humanities overview
Open Research
Research Data management
Futurelib Innovation Programme
Futurelib Innovation Programme overview
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning overview
Information Literacy Teaching at Cambridge
What's On
What's On overview
Exhibitions
Exhibitions overview
Events
Events overview
The Really Popular Book Club
Google Arts and Culture
Search and Find
Search and Find overview
LibGuides - Subject guides
eResources and eJournals
iDiscover
ArchiveSearch
Reference Management
Other catalogues
Collections
Collections overview
Special Collections
Special Collections overview
All collections & departments
All collections & departments overview
Recommend an item for our collection
Recommend an item for our collection overview
Exhibitions
Exhibitions overview
About
About overview
Governance
Governance overview
History of the Library
History of the Library overview
Statement of Collecting Policy
Prizes and Fellowships
Prizes and Fellowships overview
Library Storage Facility
Press and media
Support Us
Support Us overview
Ways to support us
Contact
Accessibility and disabled library users
Cambridge University Library
Using the Library
Accessibility and disabled library users
Parking and access
Getting around the building
Equipment
Request an alternate format
Bookable space and assistive software
Libraries Accessibility Service
University Library Special Collections
Public Exhibitions and Events Visitors
Emergency evacuation
Getting support using the libraries
Supporting disabled users – guidance for library staff
Your library membership
Online resources and services
Remote services
Visit the University Library
Library service updates
Cambridge University Libraries are committed to providing equal access to our services and facilities for all users in all libraries. Most of the information on these pages relates to the University Library, West Road building. For information about the accessibility of other libraries it is best to contact the library directly. Contact details are available via the
Cambridge Libraries Directory
.
For further information about accessibility and disability across the Cambridge library network please see our
Cambridge Libraries: accessibility & disability LibGuide
.
Services at the University Library, West Road Building
Proxy Borrowing
If you would like to have someone else borrow books on your behalf, please contact
readerservices@lib.cam.ac.uk
.
Items that are usually not borrowable
Parts of the Library’s non-special collection material are not borrowable. Wherever possible, the Library will issue items that are usually not borrowable to disabled users who have borrowing rights. For material from the Library Storage Facility (LSF) it may be more difficult. Please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
for advice on whether a non-borrowable item may be borrowed.
Click & Collect
Current staff, postgraduate students and undergraduates registered with the Disability Resource Centre can use the
Click & Collect service
to borrow books. You may request up to five items at a time.
One-to-one library training and advice
We can provide you with a bespoke training or consultation session to help you to make best use of the Library. This service is available via Teams or Zoom or in person. Please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
for more information.
Alternative formats
If the Library holds a copy of a book, journal or other work in a format which is not accessible to you, please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
. We may be able to obtain or make an accessible alternate format for you using the copyright exception for disability. This is usually a digital version provided by the publisher or
RNIB Bookshare
. We require as much advance notice as possible; turnaround times can vary depending on the publisher and can be as little as 24 hours or up to 10 weeks.
Alternatively, if you have a digital resource that needs converting/making accessible, you can try using
SensusAccess
, a self-service online tool for current staff and students.
Further assistance
You can find other ways that the University Library supports disabled users on these pages. If you have any questions, please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
and we will do our best to help.
The University Library is not currently able to deliver resources through the post, but you are most welcome to set up a proxy borrowing arrangement to allow someone to collect books on your behalf.
Contact us
e-mail:
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
Tel:
+44 (0) 1223 333030
Detailed access guides for the UL, the Moore Library and most faculty and departmental libraries are available via the
University of Cambridge AccessAble site
.
Contact us
Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, UK
Email:
library@lib.cam.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 333000
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Social Media
Library blogs
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Join us
Job opportunities
© 2026 University of Cambridge
Contact the University
Accessibility
Freedom of information
Privacy policy and cookies
Statement on Modern Slavery
Terms and conditions
University A-Z
Study at Cambridge
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Continuing education
Executive and professional education
Courses in education
About the University
How the University
and Colleges work
Give to Cambridge
Jobs
Map
Visiting the University
Research at Cambridge
Research news
About research at Cambridge
Public engagement
Spotlight on...
skip to content
Study at Cambridge
About the University
Research at Cambridge
Search site
Home
Study at Cambridge
Undergraduate
Undergraduate courses
Applying
Events and open days
Fees and finance
Postgraduate
Postgraduate courses
How to apply
Postgraduate events
Fees and funding
International
students
Continuing education
Executive and professional education
Courses in education
About the University
How the
University and Colleges work
Term dates and calendars
History
Map
Visiting the University
Annual reports
Equality and diversity
News
A global university
Events
Public engagement
Jobs
Give to Cambridge
Research at Cambridge
For staff
For Cambridge students
For alumni
For our researchers
Business and enterprise
Colleges & departments
Email & phone search
Give to Cambridge
Libraries
Museums & collections
Home
Using the Library
Cambridge University Library
Home
Using the Library
Using the Library overview
Your library membership
Your library membership overview
Online resources and services
Remote services
Remote services overview
Visit the University Library
Visit the University Library overview
Library service updates
Accessibility and disabled library users
Accessibility and disabled library users overview
Research
Research overview
University Library Research Institute
University Library Research Institute overview
Digital Preservation
Digital Preservation overview
Digital Humanities
Digital Humanities overview
Open Research
Research Data management
Futurelib Innovation Programme
Futurelib Innovation Programme overview
Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning overview
Information Literacy Teaching at Cambridge
What's On
What's On overview
Exhibitions
Exhibitions overview
Events
Events overview
The Really Popular Book Club
Google Arts and Culture
Search and Find
Search and Find overview
LibGuides - Subject guides
eResources and eJournals
iDiscover
ArchiveSearch
Reference Management
Other catalogues
Collections
Collections overview
Special Collections
Special Collections overview
All collections & departments
All collections & departments overview
Recommend an item for our collection
Recommend an item for our collection overview
Exhibitions
Exhibitions overview
About
About overview
Governance
Governance overview
History of the Library
History of the Library overview
Statement of Collecting Policy
Prizes and Fellowships
Prizes and Fellowships overview
Library Storage Facility
Press and media
Support Us
Support Us overview
Ways to support us
Contact
Accessibility and disabled library users
Cambridge University Library
Using the Library
Accessibility and disabled library users
Parking and access
Getting around the building
Equipment
Request an alternate format
Bookable space and assistive software
Libraries Accessibility Service
University Library Special Collections
Public Exhibitions and Events Visitors
Emergency evacuation
Getting support using the libraries
Supporting disabled users – guidance for library staff
Your library membership
Online resources and services
Remote services
Visit the University Library
Library service updates
Cambridge University Libraries are committed to providing equal access to our services and facilities for all users in all libraries. Most of the information on these pages relates to the University Library, West Road building. For information about the accessibility of other libraries it is best to contact the library directly. Contact details are available via the
Cambridge Libraries Directory
.
For further information about accessibility and disability across the Cambridge library network please see our
Cambridge Libraries: accessibility & disability LibGuide
.
Services at the University Library, West Road Building
Proxy Borrowing
If you would like to have someone else borrow books on your behalf, please contact
readerservices@lib.cam.ac.uk
.
Items that are usually not borrowable
Parts of the Library’s non-special collection material are not borrowable. Wherever possible, the Library will issue items that are usually not borrowable to disabled users who have borrowing rights. For material from the Library Storage Facility (LSF) it may be more difficult. Please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
for advice on whether a non-borrowable item may be borrowed.
Click & Collect
Current staff, postgraduate students and undergraduates registered with the Disability Resource Centre can use the
Click & Collect service
to borrow books. You may request up to five items at a time.
One-to-one library training and advice
We can provide you with a bespoke training or consultation session to help you to make best use of the Library. This service is available via Teams or Zoom or in person. Please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
for more information.
Alternative formats
If the Library holds a copy of a book, journal or other work in a format which is not accessible to you, please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
. We may be able to obtain or make an accessible alternate format for you using the copyright exception for disability. This is usually a digital version provided by the publisher or
RNIB Bookshare
. We require as much advance notice as possible; turnaround times can vary depending on the publisher and can be as little as 24 hours or up to 10 weeks.
Alternatively, if you have a digital resource that needs converting/making accessible, you can try using
SensusAccess
, a self-service online tool for current staff and students.
Further assistance
You can find other ways that the University Library supports disabled users on these pages. If you have any questions, please contact
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
and we will do our best to help.
The University Library is not currently able to deliver resources through the post, but you are most welcome to set up a proxy borrowing arrangement to allow someone to collect books on your behalf.
Contact us
e-mail:
disability@lib.cam.ac.uk
Tel:
+44 (0) 1223 333030
Detailed access guides for the UL, the Moore Library and most faculty and departmental libraries are available via the
University of Cambridge AccessAble site
.
Contact us
Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, UK
Email:
library@lib.cam.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 333000
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Social Media
Library blogs
YouTube
Join us
Job opportunities
© 2026 University of Cambridge
Contact the University
Accessibility
Freedom of information
Privacy policy and cookies
Statement on Modern Slavery
Terms and conditions
University A-Z
Study at Cambridge
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Continuing education
Executive and professional education
Courses in education
About the University
How the University
and Colleges work
Give to Cambridge
Jobs
Map
Visiting the University
Research at Cambridge
Research news
About research at Cambridge
Public engagement
Spotlight on...