Accessibility services

The University of Virginia Library seeks to provide all patrons with a welcoming, productive, and safe environment.

Jump to...

Get help

  • For any issue, anywhere at UVA: Report a Barrier - barriers may include things such as an inaccessible UVA website, an inoperative elevator, a blocked access ramp, the need for a curb cut, or other lack of access to an event or program. This service is managed by UVA's ADA Coordinator.
  • For students: The Student Disability Access Center offers an array of individualized accommodations and services to qualified students with disabilities. Schedule online, call (434) 243-5180, or email sdac@virginia.edu.
  • For faculty and staff: To submit an accommodation request for instructional scanning, contact your Employee Relations Consultant (ER)
    • Once all documentation is in place and a reasonable accommodation has been identified, the ER Consultant will submit the scanning request on your behalf, and share the resulting scan(s) with you.
  • Media accessibility: Email coaa@virginia.edu.

What can the Library do for me?

Library staff can assist with tasks like retrieving books, creating or requesting accessible materials (such as large print books or digitized files), and finding study space.

Contact Ask a Librarian or call 434-924-3021 to request accessibility assistance, ask questions, or get research help.

The Library also makes a variety of assistive devices available, see Learning/Assistive Technologies below.

Learning/assistive technologies

The following is a brief list of technologies that can be found in our libraries. Individual library locations may provide additional assistance.

Software available to the university community

Read & Write software

Installed on all public Windows computers found in the libraries and available for download to your computer through the ITS Software Gateway.

SensusAccess media converter

Converts text, URLs, or uploaded files into a variety of more accessible formats such as MP3 or braille.

Devices available for use within our Library locations

  • Headphones: available in Clemons, Fine Arts, and Music
  • Pico handheld magnifiers: available in Clemons, Brown, Fine Arts, and Music
  • Topaz desktop video magnifiers: available in Brown, Clemons, and Music
  • Bookeye 4 Scanner (converts text to computer voice audio file): available in Music

To plan a Library visit:

Accessibility at the Library

We are committed to providing equitable access to the Library by offering services and equipment in support of research and academic endeavors for all, regardless of physical or cognitive ability.

In pursuit of accessibility for all, the Library’s web presences strive for WCAG 2.2 AA standard or better, and Library staff are regularly offered training in best practices for accessibility and inclusion. Library staff participate in University-wide initiatives such as The Captioning Project, the Executive Committee on Digital Access, the Digital Accessibility Project (DAP) Workgroup, and the Virginia Higher Education Accessibility Partners (VHEAP). We strive to make our public events, whether in person or online, accessible but encourage individuals to contact us regarding their accommodation needs.

Other accessibility resources on Grounds

Media accessibility: Audio, video, and print

The Library is happy to be a contact point for finding accessible media resources. We can direct you to appropriate resources and services for creating accessible audio, video, and print materials.

For more information on the acquisition of accessible video titles in the Library

Email the Media Collections Librarian

Creating accessible audio and video materials

When to Caption: General Guidelines

Learn about accessible Audio and Video Materials: Guidance for the creation of accessible audio and video content – including post-production and live captioning information. UVA-approved vendors who provide captioning for existing digital media or for live events, including Zoom sessions.

Print materials: Format conversion

  • SensusAccess media converter (self-serve): On-demand conversion of text, URLs, or uploaded files into a variety of more accessible formats such as text, MP3, audiobook, or braille. It will also render PDF and Word documents into less challenging formats.
  • Instructional Scanning Services (ISS) (request in Virgo): ISS will scan instructional materials in PDF or Word format, allowing flexibility and greater levels of accessibility through assistive technologies.
  • WordToEPUB Conversion Tool (self-serve, Windows Only): Using Microsoft Word and WordToEPUB, you can convert documents to the latest EPUB 3 format. EPUB is a wonderful format for reading publications on laptops, tablets, and smartphones, and it includes features such as rich navigation and great accessibility. The EPUB files created with this tool can be used in a wide variety of reading apps on any platform, with the ability to personalize visual features such as colors, font, text size, and layout. Many reading apps have other useful features such as read aloud, the ability to add comments and bookmarks and support for electronic braille. What is EPUB?