The Library isn’t just somewhere you can get books. It’s somewhere you can do your work on your own or with others, escape sensory overload and get some help with studying. This section of the toolkit will introduce our library and the services it can offer you.

We have specialist library staff who understand autism and want to help you make the most out of your time at CCT College Dublin. They can help you with finding, choosing and using library resources, amongst many other things.

Welcome to the Hume Library, a space designed to support all of our students during their educational journey. Spanning 1,500 square feet, our library offers a calm and organised environment ideal for focused study and research. The main area accommodates thirty seats, ensuring ample space for comfortable reading and research. There are also two private study rooms that provide quiet spaces for individual or small group study sessions.

Many students in the Autism&Uni surveys mentioned the library as somewhere they really enjoyed being, whether they needed some quiet space to get away from it all or find some help or just to get some work done.

Our library is intimate and not too crowded, making it an ideal space for students who appreciate a quieter, less overwhelming environment where they can get away from it all, find some help, or just get some work done.

To further support students in reducing anxiety, we have designed our library with several features in mind:

• Quiet Study Rooms: We have two private study rooms that provide a peaceful, distraction-free environment perfect for focused study or taking a break from busier areas.
• Calm Main Area: With only thirty seats, our main area is spacious yet uncrowded, offering a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for reading and research.
• Helpful Staff: Our librarian, library assistant, and IT support expert are always available to provide assistance, helping to alleviate any concerns or questions you might have.
• Clear Navigation: The library is easy to navigate with clearly marked sections and helpful signage, reducing any potential stress from trying to find materials or services.
• The library has noise cancellation headsets that you can use onsite in the library.
• You can book a study room in the library to work on any group projects or 1-1 sessions in a quiet space.
• All library laptops now have Office 365 and Google Workspace including the Chrome extension ‘Accessibility – Your Powerful Web Assistant’. These applications and extensions have many Assistive Technology (AT) tools that can assist you with your learning journey.

You can request a meeting by simply sending an email to library@cct.ie, providing details such as your preferred date and time, the topic or type of support you need, whether you wish to meet in person or online, and any specific questions or resources you are interested in, and the librarian will get back to you to confirm the meeting.

• Other practical tips, e.g. visiting the library when it’s quiet and checking out the facilities.
• Although the overall layout and size of our library helps maintain an overall calm and serene environment conducive to both individual and collaborative work, we recommend booking study room space at peak hours, as the common area can become noisier and more active.
• If you need assistance from the librarian, you are more than welcome to approach the desk and ask a question or send your query via email at any time. However, if you have a longer and more complex query, you can arrange for a one-to-one meeting, either in person or online, via email.

You can visit the library website by following this link: https://library.cct.ie/.
For a list of assistive technology tools, please go to: https://library.cct.ie/technology.