In accordance with the goals of the Boston College Libraries and the ADA, the O'Neill Library has established an area on the main level (level 3) to accommodate patrons with vision impairments. This area includes two work spaces. One holds a PC workstation; the other holds text magnifiers for patrons with low-vision. See below for a listing of software.

The Media Center staff are available to give orientations and training to new students and others about our Vision Resource services. For assistance with Vision Resource hardware or software, please call the O'Neill Media Center (617) 552-4466 or email the Media Staff (onlmedia@bc.edu) to set up an orientation appointment.

No appointment is needed to use the equipment.

Book Retrieval and Photocopying

Members of the O'Neill Library Circulation staff will retrieve books and place them on the "hold" shelf at the Circulation Desk for pick-up. On request, the staff will assist with photocopying by locating journals or microforms on the shelves and/or filling out the Document Services Center or Interlibrary Loan forms.

The Document Services Center will make photocopies that may be mailed to a campus address, picked up, or sent electronically to the user. The Document Services Center also provides text enlargement services. Boston College students with disabilities may request financial support for photocopying by contacting University Counseling's Disabled Student Services Office at 617-552-3310.

Escort Services

Members of the Access Services staff are available to escort any user who requires assistance in locating material in O'Neill Library.

Reference Services

At the Reference Desk, patrons may be assisted in finding library resources. If in-depth assistance is needed, it is recommended that students make an appointment with a Subject Specialist.

Other Resources

For additional information about Boston College Disability Support Services, please call or email the Assistant Dean for Students with Disabilities, Suzy Conway (617) 552-2548 or conwaymh@bc.edu.  A description of the services and support available to students can be found through the Disability Services Office.

The Connors Family Learning Center provides special services and support for all students with learning disabilities and all who teach and/or advise students with learning disabilities.  For more information, call or email Kathy Duggan at (617) 552-8093 or dugganka@bc.edu.

The Workstations

PC dedicated to assistive reading and writing software:

• Windows XP / with headphones
• JAWS software (Jobs Access with Speech, version 7.0) for reading websites, text or Word documents, or text-based PDF documents. 
  (Note: scanned images of a text saved as PDF files are not readable by JAWS. However, OpenBook can convert scanned images of text into plain text for reading.)
• Open Book (version 6.0) software
• Scanner connection
• Inkjet printer connection

PC dedicated to ZoomText (version 9.0) for magnification:

• Inkjet printer connection