Resources

University of Waterloo Libraries is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity and multiple options to discover and access all library resources and services.

If there is any signage, handouts, informational material, or non-resource that you require in an alternative format, please contact Library Accessibility Services.

Visit the AccessAbility Services website for information on how to request textbooks and other course-required material in alternative formats, like Braille, large print, and electronic files.

Through the library, you have access to thousands of ebooks. Many of our eBooks and journal articles are hosted by external publishers. The accessibility of their platforms and materials varies. For more information on how to access, use, or troubleshoot our eBook collection visit the eBooks @ UWaterloo guide.

If you have any difficulty accessing these platforms or the materials provided therein, contact Library Accessibility Services.

The Accessible Content E-Portal (ACE) is a repository of alternative format texts available to users with print disabilities, maintained by Scholars Portal as a service of the Ontario Council of University Libraries that provides access to users participating institutions in Ontario.

Alternative formats for print materials can include PDFs (in black and white or colour), DAISY, ePub, and plain text.

Library students registered with AccessAbility Services or staff registered with Employee Health and Accommodation with a documented print disability can request an alternative format version of any physical item held in a library collection that we can source. Use the Request Accessible Version form found in the record of every physical item in OMNI to send your request to Library Accessibility Services. If you have an ACE token, include it in the request. 

Time to digitize an item currently held within the University of Waterloo Library collection can take up to two weeks. For items not currently held by the University of Waterloo, timelines can be significantly longer while we acquire and then digitize the item. 

Access to the ACE repository is controlled via an ACE token. An ACE token is an alphanumeric password unique to each person. It allows a person to access and search for books that have been digitized and placed in ACE.

If you do not have an ACE token assigned to you, when you submit a Request Accessible Version form to Library Accessibility Services for the first time, we will confirm your eligibility with AccessAbility Services. If you are eligible, a token will be assigned and sent to you. If you lose your ACE Token, contact Library Accessibility Services.

Once you have received an ACE token, login to ACE to access the repository. If an item exists in ACE you can downloaded it directly in your choice of available formats. If you require an alternative format to what is available, please contact LAS.

For a guide on how to use ACE, visit the ACE Portal Guide, or refer to these two videos: getting started with ACE and searching the ACE portal.

Free and timely access to alternative formats of materials is a condition of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). However, reproducing an item produced, owned, and copyrighted by another person, organization, or entity is a violation of the Copyright Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42). 

The exception, as indicated under section 32 of the Canadian Copyright Act, is to "reproduce a ... work, in a format specially designed for persons with a perceptual disability." Because of this exception, we are able to offer access to the full reproduction of items within the library collection in an alternative format to users that have a perceptual disability, and are registered with AccessAbility Services or Occupational Health. 

Library Accessibility Services is aware that users with a broader range of accessibility needs than just perceptual disabilities can and do benefit from alternative formats. Work from Accessibility Advocacy groups is underway to lobby the Provincial and Federal governments to amend legislation to allow access to more users. At this time though, LAS must follow the legal requirements described above.

Library Accessibility Services (LAS) offers a variety of assistive devices available to borrow for use within the library.

If you have any questions about using our assistive tech, our trained staff are happy to help. If you have any suggestions or recommendations or hardware that LAS should purchase to improve your experience at the University of Waterloo, reach out to Library Accessibility Services, or drop by our office hours to talk to LAS staff.

The holdings of borrowable assistive devices are available in Omni. Items cannot be put on hold, and cannot be removed from the library from which they are borrowed. All items must be returned the day they are borrowed. One-time permission must be added to your library account in order to borrow this tech; please contact Library Accessibility Services to have this permission added.

• advanced noise reduction technology providing exceptional elimination of intrusive outside noise and aural distractions
• Bose QuietComfort 25 demonstration video (YouTube video)

Availability:

• Two available at Dana Porter circulation desk
• Two available at Davis Centre circulation desk
• One available at Musagetes circulation desk

• a pocket-sized device that scans text and reads it out to you aloud in real time in natural speaking voices
• C-Pen Reader 2 demonstration video (YouTube video)

Availability:

• Two available at Dana Porter circulation desk
• Two available at Davis Centre circulation desk
• Two available at Musagetes circulation desk

• Large button, big display scientific calculator designed specifically for users with low vision
• Includes speech output via earbuds in English, Français and Espanõl

Availability:

• One available soon at Dana Porter circulation desk
• One available soon at Davis Centre circulation desk
• One available soon at Musagetes circulation desk

• lightweight, portable magnifier
• especially useful for browsing Library's collections (magnifying call numbers on books)
• Pebble Magnifier demonstration video (YouTube video)

Availability:

• Two available at Dana Porter circulation desk
• Two available at Davis Centre circulation desk
• One available at Musagetes circulation desk

• personal amplification device to improve hearing
• ideal for one-on-one conversations
• Pocketalker demonstration video (YouTube video)

Availability:

• One available at Dana Porter circulation desk
• Two available at Davis Centre circulation desk
• One available at Musagetes circulation desk

• designed to provide basic sensory and cognitive stimulation for individuals with sensory processing difficulties.
• aims to improve focus and attention, to provide a fidget outlet for unquiet hands, and enhance integration skills.
• 12 items in 6 different varieties of kit

Availability:

• Two available at Dana Porter
• Two available at Davis Centre
• Two available at Musagetes

Library Accessibility Services (LAS) offers access to a variety assistive software within the Adaptive Technology Centre (ATC).

If you have any questions about using our assistive tech, our trained staff are happy to help. If you have any suggestions or recommendations or software that LAS should purchase to improve your experience at the University of Waterloo, reach out to Library Accessibility Services, or drop by our office hours to talk to LAS staff.

The University of Waterloo has a site-license for the use of Kurzweil 3000, made available thanks to AccessAbility Services. This entitles every student, staff, and faculty member to have access to one of the best pieces of assistive technology.

To activate your Kurzweil 3000 account, contact Library Accessibility Services.

• Comprehensive reading, writing, and study support
• Tutorial: How to use Kurzweil 3000 (YouTube video)
• Available as a desktop application, browser extension, or web interface
• Improve readability with text-to-speech in over 18 languages and dialects
• Read text from a variety of digital formats, including PDFs, images, and the web
• Engage learners with note taking and study guides
• Support comprehension with dictionaries, translations and more
• Facilitate writing with templates, word prediction and spell checking

Library Accessibility Services has made available on each machine in the ATC the equation-focused software Equatio. Anyone using the common machines can benefit from this software without a need for any login. Equatio is an advanced equation editor used by millions to make math digital and accessible.

• Create your math, graphs, and science expressions by typing right into the editor
• Tutorial: Introduction to Equatio (YouTube video)
• Available as a desktop application or browser extension
• Use Prediction to insert fractions, exponents, operators, formulas, chemical symbols, and more
• The LaTeX Editor in Equatio is your online LaTeX equation editor
• The ‘screenshot reader’ allows you to snap any math content from PDF’s, images, videos, or the web and capture the math either as an equation or LaTeX code, to use anywhere

Equatio Pilot Project

Library Accessibility Services is running a Pilot Project with Equatio, to determine it's usefulness and value to math users on campus. We are looking for volunteers to participate in this 1-year study.

• Are you enrolled in a program in the Faculty of Math
• Interested in getting a license to use Equatio on your personal devices?
• Willing to provide Library Accessibility Services with feedback on your use and opinion of Equatio from now until March 2026?
• Use Prediction to insert fractions, exponents, operators, formulas, chemical symbols, and more
• The LaTeX Editor in Equatio is your online LaTeX equation editor
• The ‘screenshot reader’ allows you to snap any math content from PDF’s, images, videos, or the web and capture the math either as an equation or LaTeX code, to use anywhere

Contact Library Accessibility Services to participate in this Pilot Project and request individual access to this new assistive software.

• A simple but powerful software for creating diagrams, mind maps, and outlines.
• Tutorial: Inspiration 10 Basic Walkthrough (YouTube video)

Available on all ATC computers.

• Fully integrated magnification and reading program tailored for low-vision users
• Tutorial: Zoom Text Full Video (YouTube video)
• Enlarges and enhances everything on your computer screen
• Automatically reads documents, web pages, email

Available on the ATC common room computers.

• Combination of Job Access With Speech (JAWS) computer screen reader and ZoomText screen magnifier)
• Tutorial: Introducing ZoomText Fusion 11 (YouTube video)
• JAWS is the world's most popular screen reader
•  Allows blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to-speech output or by a refreshable Braille display.

Available on the ATC study room computers.

• Voice recognition software for speech-to-text
• Tutorial: See Dragon in Action (YouTube video)
• Voice recognition in dictation with speech transcribed as written text
• Recognition of spoken commands
• Speaking text content of a document

Available on the ATC study room computers.

If the spaces and/or services within the library are falling short of what you need, the Library Accessibility Services team is happy to meet with you, to understand and develop solutions to the specific challenges you are facing.

While disclosure is not required, the more details we have about the challenges you are encountering allow us to craft a solution which is relevant and meaningful to you. Please fill out the Library Accessibility Services introduction form to schedule a meeting.

Learn more about the Library book pick up and delivery service, including how to request items be retrieved from the shelf, where on campus items can be picked up, and how to have items mailed to your address.