In accordance with federal and state law, the library offers accommodation to the needs of patrons who are accessibility-challenged by the Library’s physical layout. We encourage patrons to contact the Office of Accessibility Services to register your defined disability with them and utilize their services – including specially equipped computers.

Library Accessibility Services

Patrons should feel free to ask at the reference desk or contact us in advance when accommodations are needed, for example for the physical retrieval of books from our shelves, and/or photocopying or scanning, or individual research assistance in a non-distracted environment. Every effort will be made by the Library to meet such requests expeditiously. For accommodation requests and to make an appointment to learn about our accessibility services please contact our Access Services Library Liaison, Ellen Belcher, at ebelcher@jjay.cuny.edu or (212) 237-8238, or visit the Reference Desk at the Library.

We also encourage using reference assistance by email, telephone at (212) 237-8246, text (SMS) or in person as well as attending our drop- in workshops or making individual appointments with a Reference Librarian for assistance with all of your research and library needs. 

Physical Access to the Library

For those who find escalators or stairs inaccessible, access to the Library (and all of Haaren Hall) is through an elevator on the north side of the main entrance at 899 Tenth Avenue.  Please ask at the main security desk for elevator access to the Library. 

For access between the two floors within the Library, please contact the Circulation Desk or Reference Desk for assistance.  Individual keys to this elevator may be available to those registered with the Office of Accessibility Services.  Wheelchair and walker-using library patrons have found it easier to enter Haaren Hall through the New Building (524 West 59th St), which offers stair-free access to the library entrance.

See also: Library floor plan and Getting Around John Jay (opens in PDF)

Assistive Technology Available in the Library

A special computer workstation is available on the second floor of the library which gives priority of use to accessibility-challenged library patrons. Please ask at the reference desk for access to this workstation which is equipped with an adjustable height table and a computer with the following assistive technologies.

• JAWS screen reading software;
• Zoom Text screen reading and enlarging; and
• Dragon Naturally Speaking speech and imaging software.

Follow the links above to tutorials for each of these programs

The library also has an old VTek Voyager XL that still works for enlarging text to any size 4x -60x using a CCTV. More advanced Kurzweil reading software and hardware is available at the Accessibility Office – we recommend taking books out of the library and using their machines for reading enlarged text.