Accessibility

Services and Equipment for Visitors with Disabilities

PARKING
Patrons with limited mobility may be dropped off in the parking lot used by the Historical Society and delivery vehicles. Reserved parking spaces for visitors with disabilities are available in the Memorial Union parking lot (University of Wisconsin - Madison Parking Lot #1). See our map for more details.

ACCESS RAMPS
Access ramps from the street level to the entrance level of the Historical Society are located on the north (Langdon Street) and south (State Street pedestrian mall) sides of the building.
The access ramp into the Historical Society is located on the east side of the building, to the left of the main entrance.

ELEVATORS
An elevator servicing all floors of the Historical Society is located on the south side of the building. When entering via the main building entrance, south will be to the left.
Library “stack elevators” are located on the building’s second floor, in the book and government publication stacks. Most library stack levels must be accessed by stairs or an elevator that is not wheelchair accessible. Please request assistance from the Circulation Desk for retrieval of materials from inaccessible floors or shelves.

RESTROOMS
1st Floor (ground level, wheelchair accessible)
2nd Floor (Library)
4th Floor (Archives)

MAGNIFYING READER
A machine to enlarge printed text is located near the windows in the Library Reading Room (2nd Floor). In addition, magnifying glasses are available at the Information Desks in the Archives, Library Reading Room, and Microforms Room.
On a limited basis staff are available to assist persons with limited vision to read materials and find items in the stacks, but cannot provide extended or regular service. Patrons should anticipate such needs by bringing an individual who can assist with their work.

RETRIEVAL SERVICES
Library users who have physical difficulty retrieving items from the stacks may request that library staff retrieve specific items for them. Paging requests may be placed at the Circulation Desk on the second floor. Items will be retrieved hourly, or as time permits. Advance requests are encouraged and may be made by contacting the Circulation Desk at (608) 264-6534 or email: histcirc@wisconsinhistory.org
University of Wisconsin faculty, staff and students may use the online catalog of their home campus to request open stack items for pickup at the UW-Madison or UW System library of their choice. Open stack items that do not circulate (genealogical materials, small pamphlets, rare books) are not eligible for this service.

COMPUTER TERMINALS AND PHOTOCOPIERS
The online computer terminals and photocopiers in the Library Reading Room are wheelchair accessible. Copiers require a copy card that may be purchased from a vending machine near the Circulation Desk. The vending machine requires a $1 bill for the initial transaction. After a card has been purchased (the card costs $ .25 and will have $ .75 of value), additional value may be added in denominations of $1, $5, $10, and $20. The vending machine takes only paper currency.