LibrariesInformationPatrons with Disabilities
Services for Individuals with Disabilities
  1. The University of Tennessee Libraries is committed to providing access to library services and resources to all users.

Contact Information

  • If you would like assistance remotely with finding resources and conducting research, please contact the Research Services Desk by phone, 865-974-4351,  or by email at eref@utk.edu.
  • Upon your arrival, you may ask at Public Services for direction to service points throughout the library. This desk is located on the second floor. Coming in from the Melrose entrance it will be on your left.
  • You may also visit the Research Services Desk in person behind the Public Services desk on the second floor.
  • If you need assistance with ongoing Library research or have questions/comments, please contact Steven Milewski, Disabilities Services Coordinator for the Libraries, at 865-974-2647 or smilewsk@utk.edu.

Services and Access at Hodges Library

Service Desks

  • Staff at Public Services can assist with locating appropriate service desks and/or assistive technologies.  Public Services is the located on the second floor of Hodges Library. If entering from the Melrose entrance it will be on your left.

Retrieving Materials and Photocopying UT Students, Faculty and Staff registered with the Student Disability Services receive photocopying services at no charge. Delivery options are available, please ask. Requests can be made four different ways:

  • In person: Bring a list of items to be pulled or photocopied to the Hodges Library Public Services which is located on the second floor just inside the Melrose entrance on your left.
  • Online: While in the library catalog looking at a record, click on “item” and then click ‘Item Pickup or Delivery’ to have the item pulled and placed on hold. Pick up is at the Hodges Library Public Services which is located on the second floor just inside the Melrose entrance on your left.   You can also request a limited number of chapters be scanned and sent to you via email.  For more information go to https://www.lib.utk.edu/request
  • By Telephone: Call Library Express at 974-0021

Please provide call numbers for all items. If you need assistance finding books or articles, etc., contact Research Services by e-mail at eref@utk.edu, telephone 865-974-4171, or in person at the Research Services Desk behind Public Services

Research Assistance at Hodges Library

Research librarians are available to answer your questions and assist in finding resources. They can be contacted several ways:

  • In person: Research Assistance Desk behind the Public Services on the second floor
  • Text Chat on the Library home page
  • By phone: Call 865-974-4351
  • By e-mail: eref@utk.edu
  • For in-depth research assistance, students are encouraged to make an appointment with a subject librarian and/or the Libraries’ Disabilities Services Coordinator.

Parking: Multiple designated parking spaces are available in Staff Lot 12 located at the Melrose entrance of Hodges Library. Additionally, there are designated parking spaces on Melrose Ave., which surround the Staff Lot 12 parking lot. Visitors are required to obtain a parking pass from Parking & Transit Services.  Information can be found at Parking & Transit Services’ Website.

Building Entrances: Both entrances are wheelchair accessible and have automatic doors:
The main entrance to Hodges Library is located on Melrose Avenue. This entrance opens onto the second floor.  If you need assistance, the main Public Services desk is located just inside the entrance on your right during construction.

The North side of the Volunteer Boulevard entrance is accessible and opens onto the ground floor.

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible restrooms and water fountains are available on all floors.  Automatic doors for restrooms can be found on the second and sixth floor.

Services and Access at the Agriculture Veterinary Medicine Library

Location: The Agriculture-Veterinary Medicine Library is located on the UT Agriculture campus, just off Neyland Drive on the corner of River Drive and Joe Johnson Drive. It is in Room A113 of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital building.

Building Entrances: The entrance is wheelchair accessible and has automatic doors.

Services: The staff will retrieve materials from the stacks and assist in photocopying. Checkout privileges may be negotiated.

Parking: Two designated parking spaces are in front of the library. Directly across from these parking spaces is a sloped access to the sidewalk. Once on the sidewalk, proceed to the right and enter the doorway with the sign Pendergrass Agriculture-Veterinary Medicine Library.

Services and Access at the Music Library

Services: The Music Library staff will provide additional services such as retrieving materials from the stacks or from Reference shelves and assisting with photocopying. Provisions will be made for exceptions to circulation policies when necessary, such as taking materials to adaptive equipment housed elsewhere.


Equipment & Software by Location at UT Libraries

Hodges Library

Please go to Public Services by the Melrose entrance to find locations of equipment

  • Photocopiers with enlargement capabilities.

Commons North Room 220-A  –

Please ask for assistance at the Hodges Library Studio Desk to find the location.

  • There is one LVI magnifier and display print materials that can also scan and read documents out loud.
  • There is one PC Workstation with JAWS, Kurzweil 1000 10.0, “Read & Write Gold” software & scanner, and Dragon speech recognition software and 30 inch monitor.
  • Tables electronically adjustable by height.

Hodges Library Commons South Equipment Checkout Desk

  • Two Handheld Video Magnifiers.
  • A Trackball Mouse.
  • Two large key keyboards (USB connector).
  • One PC Laptop with “Dragon” software and “Read & Write Gold” software

Software on Computers in Hodges Library

  • Computers in the Commons have “Read & Write Gold” software.

Pendergrass Agriculture-Veterinary Medicine Library

  • Photocopiers with enlargement capability.
  •  An Assistive Technology station has JAWS, Kurzweil 1000 10.0, & scanner with a 30 inch monitor, the AT station is equipped with a trackball mouse, tables are height adjustable.
  • Loaner laptops for checkout.
  • A PC Laptop with Dragon speech recognition software and Kurzweil 3000 is available for checkout.

Music Library

  • Photocopier with enlargement capability.

Equipment & Software by Type at All Libraries

Software for Visual Disabilities:

  • JAWS is located on the assistive technology computer at Hodges Library Room 220-A and at the Pendergrass Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Library assistive technology workstation.
  • Kurzweil 1000 10.0 is on the assistive technology workstation at Hodges Library room 220-A and at the Pendergrass Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Library (ask at the Circulation Desk in Hodges Library).

Equipment for Visual Disabilities:

  • A LVI document magnifier which is used to enlarge the viewing of print materials and also scan and read documents out loud is available at Hodges Library room 220-A.
  • Two Handheld Video Magnifiers are available to be checked out at Hodges Library Commons South Equipment Checkout Desk.

Equipment for Speaking Disabilities:

  • An Interpretype “the conversation piece” unit is available to be checked out at the Hodges Library Commons South Equipment Desk.

Software for Learning Disabilities:

  • “Read & Write Gold” software is on all Commons computers and all OIT computers in the Hodges Library Reading Room on the first floor.

Equipment for Hard of Hearing:

Equipment for Mobility Disabilities:

  • An adjustable tables are available in Hodges Library.
  • Several adjustable tables are available at the Agriculture Veterinary Medicine Library.
  • All Instruction Rooms and Group Viewing Rooms in Hodges Library should have at least one adjustable table.
  • A Trackball Mouse is available at the Hodges Library Commons South Equipment Checkout Desk and at the main desk in the Agriculture Veterinary Medicine Library.
  • Automatic push button entrance doors are in place to at all of the UT Libraries.
  • A bathroom on both the 2nd and 6th floor of Hodges Library is equipped with automatic push button doors.