Additional Services: Accessibility Services

Watzek Library has two elevators. To reach the second floor of the building, use the elevator closest to the main entrance on the north side of the building. This elevator does not reach the third floor. A second elevator, located near the all gender restrooms on the second floor, provides access to the third floor of the building. There is a ramp in front of the Special Collections reading room that leads to this second elevator.

Accessible restrooms are located on every floor of the building. At present, the all gender restrooms on the second floor of the building are not accessible.

Please let library staff know if you need assistance retrieving materials on the shelf. You may also request Watzek items through Primo and pick them up at the Check Out desk. Please note that requested items are pulled from the shelf once a day and may not be immediately available at the desk; you will receive an email when they are ready to be picked up.

Lockers on the first floor of the building may be rented on a semester basis. Students who need a locker due to a disability related barrier should contact the Office of Student Accessibility for assistance.  

Watzek provides different types of study spaces to meet different study preferences. There are designated silent areas, individual study carrels, reservable private study rooms, and public group study space. See the library floor maps for further detail.  

Watzek Library has four pairs of noise canceling headphones that can be checked out for 4 hours at the library service desk. They have cords so you can use them to listen to a device, or you can just turn the power button on to have silence. 

Service animals are welcome in Watzek Library, although assistance animals are not allowed. Following the College’s Service and Assistance Animal Policy, assistance animals are only allowed in the dwelling unit of their owner and outside on a leash or harness. This is to maintain a welcoming environment for patrons, including those who may be negatively affected by animals due to allergies and other conditions.

The Access Services team at Watzek is happy to help you find and use the library’s resources. We can help you:

Find books on the shelves.

Whether you need someone to accompany you to the stacks or need us to retrieve materials that may be difficult for you to access, we can help you get the materials you need. You can use Primo to place a request or contact us for assistance.

Borrow materials.

If you are unable to visit the library in person, you can designate a friend or colleague to pick up your library items. Contact Jennifer Jacobs at jjacobs@lclark.edu or (503) 768-7273 to set up a library proxy account.

Get extended access to library materials.

We can often make exceptions to allow you to check out reference items or other non-circulating items. We can also show you how to quickly and easily scan materials to further extend your access.  

Access course readings in accessible formats.

Many assigned readings for your classes are available through Watzek Library as electronic articles or ebooks that can work with text-to-speech applications. When the library has access to these formats, they can be found through Primo, the library catalog. If you are approved for accessible education materials as an accommodation through OSA, please contact Rebecca Brooks at rbrooks@lclark.edu for further assistance.

Not sure where to start? Need help narrowing down your topic or finding sources? Watzek librarians can help! 

Meet in Person or Online

Visit the library service desk on weekdays between 12 and 4 p.m. to chat with a research librarian. You can also schedule a one-on-one consultation with an expert in your subject area. Set up an appointment here or email your subject expert directly. We can provide

• Quiet or private spaces with fewer visual or auditory distractions. If the Research Help desk is not a comfortable or ideal place for you to chat, let us know, and we can move to a more conducive spot in the library.
• Follow-up information in a format that works for you. We can send you an email after a consultation that summarizes key points or includes links to resources we discussed during our meeting. Just let us know what format you prefer, and we will make every effort to accommodate you.

Email a Librarian

Email a research librarian at librarian@lclark.edu and let us know what you need. Provide as much information as possible, including assignment details, and we’ll make every attempt to respond within 24 hours (Monday–Friday).

You can also contact a specialist in your subject area.

Chat on the Phone or Online

Call the Research Help Desk between 12 and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 503-768-7285.

Chat online with Watzek Library staff by clicking the "chat" button in the lower right-hand corner of your screen. If the button doesn't appear, no one is currently available to chat.

Watzek's Adaptive Technology Room is available solely for the use of OSA-referred students. The lab provides a private, quiet setting with access to magnification devices and an array of adaptive technology. Talk to staff in the Office of Student Accessibility to get approval to use this lab, and then pick up the key at the Watzek service desk. For more information, please contact OSA at access@lclark.edu or 503-768-7192.

The Macs in the Watzek computer lab are available to all and have built-in accessibility features including VoiceOver (screen reader), Dictation (speech-to-text), Zoom (magnifier), and Mouse Keys (controls cursor with the numeric keypad).