Nancy Waite, coordinator at Library Accessibility Services, left, and Paige Maylott, library accessibility assistant, support students accessing CATS and other library accessibility services.

BY Nicole Lipari, McMaster University Library

McMaster University’s assistive technology space reopened to students  this week after a sizeable expansion.

Located on the second floor of Mills Memorial Library, the Campus Accessible Tech Space (CATS) provides equitable resources, facilities and services to foster dignity and independence for McMaster students with varied accessibility needs.

“The first iteration of CATS opened in November 2018, and by early 2020 we had already outgrown the space,” says Nancy Waite, coordinator at Library Accessibility Services.

“Students were walking in and having to turn right back around because there was no seating available.”

Renovations to the accessible study space include a large expansion to the back of the room, additional soft seating, twelve new height-adjustable desks and an upgraded aquarium.

The front of the space — offering group study desks, two small couches, and a new coffee corner — has three new artificial windows featuring LED lights that mimic natural sunlight.

“After consultation with students, we reorganized the space so that the new addition can become a quiet zone for studying and lounging, and the front area can be more conversational,” Waite says.

The design of the expanded layout reflects what Library Accessibility Services knew worked in the previous version of CATS, “while remaining mindful of an intersectional approach toward students’ accessible needs and the right to privacy and dignity,” adds Paige Maylott, library accessibility assistant.

“Users of the space are provided a key card to ensure that students who need CATS will have a comfortable, safer retreat to study and relax on campus.”

In addition to a private study and lounge area, students accessing CATS can borrow a number of assistive technologies, from a ReaderPen and desk scanners to laptops preloaded with software like Kurzweil 3000, Adobe Pro, JAWS screen reader, and Dragon Dictate.

 “One of the many great things we achieved with the previous version of CATS was a strong sense of community,” Waite says. “We hope that carries through in this new version.”

CATS is located in Room L212 on the second floor of Mills Memorial Library, next to the Library Accessibility Services office. The space is open during Mills library hours.

To learn more about CATS and Library Accessibility Services, visit the Library website or email liblas@mcmaster.ca.

For more information on campus-wide accessibility services, visit the Student Accessibility Services website.

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This week marked the start of a new academic year and the return of thousands of students to campus.

Mills and Thode libraries offer masks-on study spaces to accommodate students who prefer to wear their masks indoors.

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