Libraries Accessibility

The University of Wyoming Libraries are committed to making our services, facilities, and collections accessible and safe to all UW students, faculty, staff, and visiting researchers. Where spaces or resources present barriers, library employees are available to assist with reasonable requests. Please stop by, call, or email the help desk at the branch library where you need assistance:

• Coe Library (main branch): (307) 766-3190 or email Libraries Circulation
• Brinkerhoff Geology Library: (307) 766-3374 or email Geology Reference
• Learning Resource Center (fall and spring semesters only): (307) 766-6539
• Other branches and locations 

If you have concerns about the accessibility of library services or spaces, the help desk can direct you to the appropriate person to receive and address your concerns. Our university partners who provide additional support to students, faculty, staff, and community members with disabilities include:

• University Disability Support Services
• Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Wyoming Assistive Technology Resources (part of the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities) 

Accessible entrances to the Geology building are the museum entrance at the southeast corner (when the museum is open). The west entrance to the Earth Sciences building via sloped sidewalk and power activated doors provides access to the atrium connecting Earth Sciences to the Geology building. The Geology Library does not have an elevator. Library staff will retrieve items as needed.

The Learning Resource Center is on the second floor of the College of Education building (Room 222). The southwest entrance (off of Prexy's Pasture) has a ramp and power-activated door. The north entrance near the Education Annex has a power-activated door. The elevator to access the second floor is near the north entrance; accessible restrooms are near the southwest entrance.

Neither the Geology or College of Education buildings have all gender or family restrooms. The Rainbow Resource Center maintains a list and map of all unisex and family restrooms on campus. 

University Disability Support Services also maintains information about building accessibility at UW. Please see their Building Accessibility Guide for additional information about the buildings where branch libraries are located. For additional support at our other branches and spaces, please contact the Help Desk or the branches/spaces directly. 

In the event of a fire or other emergency, elevators will not operate. Follow exit signs to stairwells, which are areas for rescue for individuals unable to use the stairs.

Students, faculty, and staff with "D" or "TD" permits and a state-issued disability placard or license plate may park in designated accessible spaces in "A" lots with paths to accessible entrances. "A" lots near the UW Libraries include:

• Union lot north of Coe Library (closest parking to the entrance)
• Cooper House lot south of Coe Library, 14th and Ivinson.
• Designated accessible permit spaces on 13th St., west end of Coe Library
• Lot north of the Education Building.  (off Lewis St., near 15th)
• Lot north of Geology and Engineering buildings (off Lewis St. near 11th St.)

See a  parking map and  more information about accessible parking and obtaining permits from Transit and Parking Services.

 Options for visitors include: 

• Metered accessible spaces on the east side of the Wyoming Union
• Day lot at 15th and Willett; hourly rates  payable with a phone app.
• Free remote parking south of campus at 15th and Spring Creek and east of campus at 30th and Willett. Express shuttles equipped with wheelchair lifts and tie-downs run every 6-8 minutes (weekdays during the academic year). Shuttle stop is near Coe Library.
• After 5 p.m. and on weekends, permit parking is not enforced in "A" lots by Coe Library and the Geology Library. Parking in designated accessible spaces is enforced at all times. See UW  parking regulations for additional information.

Please see Transpark pages for  parking maps,   shuttle information, and  paratransit services.

Event Accommodations

If students, faculty, or staff need accommodations for attending events in any facilities managed by UW Libraries, please contact University Disability Support Services. Visitors may contact Libraries Administration for reasonable requests made in a timely manner. 

Service Animals

UW Libraries welcome persons with disabilities accompanied by their service animal, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained to perform work or tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. ADA protections do not apply to emotional support animals in public spaces, even if the owner has been granted accommodation in University or other housing under the Fair Housing Act.

Individuals with non-service animals will be asked to remove those animals from the library. Animals who are not trained as service animals can pose risks to service animals and the individuals who rely on them, as well as other library users. Library personnel may also ask any individual with a service animal that causes physical damage or threatens the safety of others to remove the animal from the library, in accordance with university policy and ADA regulations.

For questions or concerns about policies or regulations regarding service or emotional support animals, please contact University Disability Support Services.

• UW Regulation 2-178: Use of University Buildings, Grounds and Services (PDF)
• Service and Assistance Animals for Individuals with Disabilities at UW (PDF)

Please ask at the Help Desk for assistance with any of the following: 

• Searching the library catalog for books or media by title or topic
• Accessing databases for researching a topic
• Determining availability and locations of books or articles from citations
• Reading call numbers
• Getting directions for locating library materials or room numbers
• Retrieving library materials from the shelves if they are too high, too low, difficult to read call numbers, or present other barriers to access
• Scheduling appointments with librarians for in-depth research assistance
• Designating a proxy to check out and renew items in your behalf - complete a linked patron form (PDF)
• Using assistive technology or the KIC scanner to facilitate use of print materials (Coe Library)
• UW Libraries and Disability Support Services are able to provide additional scanning services as determined to be appropriate for individuals with disabilities. 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) can be used by UW students, faculty, and staff to request:

• Physical materials from libraries worldwide, including audiobooks and large print books.
• Request scans of print articles or books chapters from items in the UW Libraries collections (in compliance with copyright law)
• Request electronic materials from other libraries, including articles and eBooks. 
• ILL FAQs and ILL Tutorial

Our Prospector/MOBIUS service can also be used by UW students, faculty, and staff to request:

• Physical materials from libraries in Colorado and other neighboring states, including audiobooks and large print books.
• Request electronic materials from other libraries, including eAudiobooks, eBooks, and streaming videos. 

Hold for Me is available to all library patrons to: 

• Deliver print materials from one branch library to another for more convenient pickup
• Have items pulled from the stacks and held at the branch library most convenient to you
• Hold For Me FAQS

Note that requests for pulling or scanning print items may take a day or longer, and Coe Library is open more hours than our other branches. Please plan accordingly. 

In support of our commitment to accessibility, ensuring compliance and adherence to web accessibility is important to UW Libraries. UW Libraries strives to foster a culture that meets and exceeds the university's website accessibility policy (PDF) standards. The libraries will continue to work to implement web accessibility best practices on sites that it directly manages. To report potential barriers, please contact Libraries Administration and let us know the following information:

• Barrier encountered
• Describe where you encountered the problem, please provide the URL, if possible