Next available on Sunday 2–10 p.m.

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Accessibility at Memorial Library

This page contains accessibility information specific to Memorial Library. For general accessibility information about all UW-Madison Libraries, see Accessibility.

Contact Information

For accessibility questions for this building, please use our Ask a Librarian service. If you need a resource or accommodation that is not listed on this page, please email access-lib@lists.wisc.edu

Accessing the Library

Building Map

Floor Plans

Entrances

  • Enter through State Street side of building (facing the University Bookstore).
    • There are no curbs on the South and West side of the building. Curb cuts are found at all intersections and at several other points on Lake Street and at all intersections on Langdon Street (on the East and north sides of the building, respectively).
    • Entrance to Memorial Library includes two exterior glass doors and a revolving door in the middle, which lead to a room from there are two additional interior doors that lead into the building proper.
      • The exterior and interior doors on the right side of the entrance open automatically by pushing a large paddle button.
    • Once inside, there is a gate that opens by scanning your university ID. You may also show your ID to the worker, and they can open the gate for you from the desk.
  • Exit from West / South side of the building.
    • In the Circulation Desk area, there are two swinging gates that must be pushed to exit. If you are unable or uncomfortable, please ask a staff member at the desk to open one of the gates for you.
    • Once you have left the Circulation Desk area, and have gone beyond the swinging exit gates, you are in the West corridor. There is an accessible exit to your left toward the South side of the building—the same side you entered from. To leave the building you will need to go through one set of interior, and one set of exterior doors. There is an automatic door on the left side of each set of doors.
    • There are also exits on the West and North side of the building that require the use of stairs.
  • Campus accessible entrance list

Elevators

There are eight public elevators in Memorial Library, and two for staff.

  • Main Elevators:
    • There are three main elevators which go to every floor from the basement to floor 7. They do not go to floors 8 and 9.
  • Special Collections Elevator:
    • When facing toward the main three elevators, there is an additional elevator on the wall to the right which goes to every floor from the basement to floor 9, Special Collections. It does not go to floor 8.
    • If you need to access the South Stacks on floor 4 or floor 5, you must use this elevator; select elevator buttons 4R or 5R (the R stands for rear door).
    • If the Special Collections elevator is out of service, one of the staff elevators can be used.
  • North Stacks Elevators:
    • There are two elevators in the North Stacks which go to every floor from the basement to floor 7.
  • West Corridor Elevators:
    • There are two elevators in the West corridor, which go from the basement, skipping floor 1, and then on to floors 2, 3, 4, and 5. These elevators do not stop on any M floors.

Parking & Transportation

Visitor parking is available at the following locations:

  • State Street Campus Garage located on Frances Street, just South of University.
  • Lot 6 located under Helen C. White Hall from N. Park St entrances.
    • Visitor Parking is available Lot 6 (Street Level lot) at all times, but is often Full. 
    • Visitor parking is available in Lot 6 (Lower Level lot) on evenings and weekends.
    • Visitor Parking availability
  • Campus accessible parking stall list and map

Emergency / Evacuation Procedures

Memorial Library does not have any Areas of Rescue Assistance (ARA). If you cannot self-evacuate for any reason, dial 9-1-1 and state your location. UWPD dispatchers will relay this information to responding personnel.

Interior Space Accessibility

Accessible Furniture

Electronic height-adjustable table with a print station.

There is an adjustable-height printer station in the 1st floor lobby

Reservable Study Rooms and Spaces

The Libraries have many reservable study spaces. Click here to make a reservation.

Silent Spaces

Please do not talk in silent study areas.

  • Room 124 (1st floor West Corridor Study Hall)

Quiet Spaces

These areas are for quiet study. Please lower your voice and keep your conversation brief.

  • Floor 1:
    • 112 (1st floor Reading Room)
    • 116 (1st floor West Corridor Study Hall)
    • 124 (1st floor West Corridor Study Hall)
    • 1st floor West Corridor
  • Floor 2:
    • 212 (Petrovich Reading Room)
    • 216 (Reading Room)
    • 224 (Card Catalog Room)
    • 240 (Periodicals Reading Room)
    • 2nd floor West Corridor
  • Floor 4:
    • 412 (East Asian Reading Room)
    • 424 (Greek and Latin Reading Room)
    • 4th floor West Corridor
  • All study carrels (open or locked)

More information about study spaces in Memorial Library.

Restrooms

There are Mens and Womens accessible bathrooms located in the South stacks of several floors in Memorial Library:

  • 2 South
  • 3 South (automatic door)
  • 4 South
  • 4M South
  • 5 South
  • 7 South (automatic door)

There are single-stall, all-gender restrooms available:

  • Basement South (not accessible)
  • 1 South (not accessible)

Lactation and Baby Changing Space

Room 460A has a lactation and feeding room. Please come to the Circulation Desk when you walk in the library to ask about this space

Inaccessible Spaces

There is a raised section of the 1st floor West corridor that requires the use of steps in order to access the West exit doors and an office space. The North exit doors also require the use of stairs. The South exit is accessible.

Lighting

  • All rooms use energy saving lights. If no one has moved in a room for a certain amount of time, all but emergency lights will turn off. The lights will flicker once as they turn back on.
  • There are lamps on tables in the 2nd floor West hallway.
  • Individual study carrels in the North and South stacks have lights that can be turned on or off.

Technology

PC and Mac desktops on adjustable-height tables are available in room 140.

Memorial Library has a computer lab in room 140 with this accessibility software:

  • Kurzweil 3000: A comprehensive reading, writing, and learning software solution for any struggling reader, including individuals with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or those who are English Language Learners
  • Fusion: Magnification and screen reading software

The computer lab in room 140 also has one Mac desktop and two Windows desktops on adjustable-height tables (crank operated). In addition, there is a desktop computer with a flat-bed scanner connected on an adjustable-height table.

Memorial Library also has accessibility related equipment available in the McBurney Learning Resources Room (room 377). To access this room, please ask at the Circulation Desk located on the first floor. The room has the following equipment:

  • Mac desktop on an adjustable-height table with the following software:
    • Dragon 14
    • FSReader 3.0
    • JAWS 2022
    • Kurzweil 3000
  • Windows desktop with the following software:
    • Fusion 2019
    • FSReader 3.0
    • JAWS 2019
    • Kurzweil 3000
    • ZoomText 2019
  • Webster’s New World Braille Dictionary
  • Magnifying glasses

Services

Accessing Materials and Services

If you need assistance getting access to any materials in Memorial Library, please ask at the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor.