Taylor Institution

There are no on site parking spaces. There are two public blue badge parking spaces on St Giles approximately 60 m from the entrance. There are additional public blue badge spaces on St Giles and Beaumont Street although these are further away. Please click on the link below to view a map of Blue Badge parking in central Oxford.

• Oxford Blue Badge parking map (PDF)

There is ramped access to the entrance doors. The ramp is relatively long and does not have any level landings; however it is not steep.

Alternatively, there are four steps up to the entrance doors. There are handrails both sides but no contrasting marking on the step edges.

The entrance is secure with a card reader 88cm from floor level, and an intercom with a call button 100cm from floor level. The double doors are powered. There is an entrance lobby with security gates straight ahead - these are 91cm wide. There is level access into the building, and through to the reception and lift. 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

The  wheelchair accessible section of the reception desk is to the right immediately inside the entrance doors.

The main reception desk is through the security gates and to the right. At 122cm high, this section of the reception desk will not be accessible to many wheelchair users. There is a fixed induction loop at the main section of the reception desk. 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

Accessible toilets

There is one wheelchair accessible toilet in the building. This is on the ground floor. This has an inward opening door that can be opened outward in the event of an emergency. The door width is 86cm. The toilet is 1.9m x 2m. The sink can be used from the toilet. There is no horizontal pull bar on the back of the door. This toilet is also used as a baby change facility. There is a pull cord emergency alarm

Standard toilets

The standard toilets are in the basement and can only be accessed by stairs. The female toilets have one cubicle suitable for ambulant disabled people. There are no non-gendered toilets in the building (other than the wheelchair accessible toilet). 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

Passenger lift

This goes from the ground floor to the first, second and third floors. The dimensions of the lift are 110cm x 140cm. The clear door width is 80cm. The control buttons are at an accessible height for wheelchair users. There is a handrail, a mirror opposite the door, a visual floor indicator and audible announcement of floor level as well as an induction loop. 

Platform lift

This lift goes from ground floor down to basement level, and also up to Lecture Room 2 which is otherwise only accessible by stairs. The dimensions of the lift are 120cm x 90cm. The clear door width is 80cm.  

For operational and safety reasons, the platform lift must be operated by staff. Please either contact in advance, or speak to staff at the lodge if you need to use the lift.

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

The building has been extended at different times and has a fairly complex layout with some floors having level changes. Therefore there are several staircases in the building.

These are the most used stairs in the building: 

Ground floor to basement

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Stone steps with some wear. No contrasting markings on step edges. 

South stairs - basement to second floor

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Carpeted stairs. Contrasting markings on step edges. 

These stairs give access to the Voltaire Room. 

South stairs- second to third floor

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Stone stairs. No contrasting markings on step edges. 

Ground floor to basement toilets

Partial handrail to left (ascending). Contrasting markings on step edges. 

Main central staircase - ground floor to second floor

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Partial handrail to left (ascending).  Contrasting marking on step edges . 

Secondary central staircase  - ground floor to second floor. 

Continuous handrail to left (ascending). No contrasting marking on step edges. 

North stairs - ground floor to first floor

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Contrasting markings on step edges. 

Ground floor to basement common room

Continuous handrail to right (ascending). Contrasting markings on step edges. Three steps with no handrails either side at base of stairs. 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

The entrance doors are powered. The doors into the Teaching Collection Issue Desk on the ground floor are powered. The doors into the Teaching Collection on the first floor are powered. All other doors are manual.

There are two sets of double doors into the Main Hall on the ground floor - each door leaf has a clear width of 65cm. If both leaves are opened there is a clear width of 130cm. There are double doors into the Slavonic Reading Room - one leaf has a clear width of 70cm and the other leaf is usually locked.

Most other doors have a clear width of at least 80cm.

The doors between the Enquiry Desk and reading rooms on the second floor are moderately heavy to use. 

Most corridor doors are held open.

Many doors have vision panels in the upper and lower halves. The doors between the Enquiry Desk and reading rooms on the second floor have vision panels in the top half only. The doors into Lecture Room 2 have vision panels in the top half only (note that wheelchair access is via the platform lift). The doors into the Slavonic Reading Room do not have any vision panels. 

Please click on the thumbnail below to enlarge:

All reading rooms have books on high shelves. Library staff are happy to assist users who are unable to reach books. Some areas of the library have very narrow spaces between shelves; the stacks on the second and third floor are spaced 74cm apart. 

Slavonic Reading Room

Ground floor. Level access via platform lift and Lecture Room 2. Double doors. One leaf gives clear width of 70cm; the other leaf is usually locked. Desks not wheelchair friendly (67cm to underside of desks). 

Voltaire Room

Ground floor. Stepped access only via basement. Wheelchair access possible with staff assistance using portable ramp (although difficult/impossible for larger chairs). Double doors. One leaf gives clear width of 70cm; the other leaf is usually locked. Desks not wheelchair friendly (59cm - 62cm to underside of desks). 

Greek Reading Room

Ground floor. Level access (alternative entrance has a step). Door is held open and has a clear width of 89cm. Desks not wheelchair friendly (67cm to underside of desks). 

Teaching Collection Reading Room

First floor. Level access via main lift. Light door with clear width of 89cm. 1 electric height adjustable desk. 1 ergonomic chair. Other desks not wheelchair friendly (60cm - 64cm to underside of desks). 

Main Reading Room

Second floor.  Level access via main lift. Medium weight doors with clear width of 95cm. 1 manual height adjustable desk. Other desks not wheelchair friendly (61cm - 67cm to underside of desks). Stepped access only to upper gallery - narrow spiral staircase. 

Beaumont Street Reading Room

Second floor. Level access via main lift. Medium weight door with clear width of 95cm. Desks not wheelchair friendly (61cm to underside of desks). 

Periodicals Reading Room

Second floor. Level access via main lift. Medium weight door with clear width of 96cm. 1 electric height adjustable desk. 1 ergonomic chair. Other desks not wheelchair friendly (64cm to underside). 
 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge:

There are fixed induction loops at:
    • Main reception desk
    • Enquiries Desk
    • Main Hall

There is a portable induction loop at:
    • Issue Desk

There are fixed infra-red systems at:
    • Lecture Room 2
    • Main Hall 
 

The library can provide the following assistive equipment:

    • Adjustable book rests
    • Daylight reading lamp
    • Magnifying reading aids
    • Portable induction loop
    • OCR reader - converts text into speech
    • Ear plugs
    • Coloured overlays and paper

Please ask at the Issue Desk (ground floor) to use any of this equipment. 

In addition there are electric height adjustable desks, and ergonomic chairs in:

    • Teaching Collection Reading Room (first floor)
    • Periodicals Reading Room (second floor)

The Main Reading Room (second floor) has a manual height adjustable desk. 

Please click on the thumbnails below to enlarge: