Accessibility Information

Accessibility information for our sites including Sensory Maps and Visual Guides.

Heritage Collections at the University of Edinburgh are open to all and we want everyone who visits our spaces to feel comfortable and welcome. We have created AccessAble Guides, Sensory Maps, and Visual Guides to help you familiarise yourself with our sites before and during your visit.

If you require the information on this page in a different format, please get in touch.

We are committed to improving our spaces and services and addressing any barriers to access for our visitors. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions about access to our sites, or the resources below, please get in touch at heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk or complete our feedback form.

Locations:

Our collections are held across multiple sites with different facilities. Details on the location and opening hours of each, including campus maps, can be found at Locations & Contact Information.

The location of your appointment will generally be based on the collections requested, however, please do inform staff of any specific access needs or adjustment requests at the point of booking. If you aren’t able to visit one of our sites for any reason, we can transfer the collections to a more suitable site instead (subject to an assessment of the specific collections).

 


You are welcome to bring your assistance dog with you, but please let us know in advance so we can make arrangements.


We have a number of Assistive Tools in our Reading Rooms which you are welcome to borrow, including: magnifying glasses, page magnifiers, folding LED booklights, and tinted overlays.


British Sign Language users can make contact by using the free ContactSCOTLAND-BSL service. We have created some videos about our collections and services in BSL.


If you are a University of Edinburgh student or staff member and require assistance to evacuate in an emergency, you should have a PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan). To arrange a PEEP please contact your school or line manager.

If you are a visitor to the building and require assistance to evacuate in an emergency, please inform a member of staff on arrival.

Please note that, due to ongoing work on the Fire Risk Assessment, users who cannot self-evacuate using the stairs should not access New College Library at this time. In these instances, we will transfer collections to another site so that you can access them.

The fire alarm is regularly tested at each site. Staff will inform you on arrival if the alarm is to be tested that day.

Further information can be found on the Fire Safety Unit website.


There are induction loops at:

  • CRC Reception desk;
  • CRC Reading Room desk;
  • School of Scottish Studies Search Room desk;
  • St Cecilia’s Hall Reception desk;
  • St Cecilia’s Hall Concert Room;
  • Library Hall Reception desk in New College Library.

Please note there is no induction loop in: 

  • CRC Teaching Spaces;
  • Funk Reading Room at New College Library.

There is lift access to all floors at all of our sites apart from the School of Scottish Studies Archives & Library, where there is lift access to the entrance, but not between the ground and first floors.

Further information about lift and stair routes to the Funk Reading Room at New College Library can be found in the below document.

New College Library: lift & stair access information


You cannot take bags into our Reading Rooms. Free lockers are available at all of our sites, except St Cecilia’s Hall.


Our sites are often busy and can be loud or quiet depending on the time of day. There are also lots of internal or external noises you may hear in our Reading Room and Gallery spaces. Full details for each site can be found in our sensory maps below. Ear Defenders are available to borrow from all our reception desks, so please ask.


There is free Wi-Fi at all of our sites. Visitors with a University of Edinburgh login can use Eduroam. External visitors can sign-in via VisitEd.


Disabled parking spaces are available in front of the Main Library and are accessed by the west side (closest to the Meadows) for access to the CRC and the School of Scottish Studies Archives & Library. There is no dedicated parking at New College Library or St Cecilia’s Hall. Further information can be found via the Parking Office.


There is seating throughout our sites and portable stools that you can borrow at St Cecilia’s Hall. Please ask a member of staff to direct you to the nearest seat.


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