[Libs-Or] Patron accommodation question

[Rhonda Alderman]

I've debated for a few days about whether to add my two cents on this, so here goes.

I was also very disturbed by Ted's response.  Having a family member who suffers severely from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and (we now strongly suspect) Electro Hypersensitivity, I deeply appreciate any accommodation libraries and other public places can make.  At the very least, we can and should display basic kindness and regard for those with experiences different from ours.  We cannot live in another's body, therefore we cannot understand their suffering, but we can certainly empathize to the best of our ability.

In my experience, both of these conditions are very real.  They can be triggered by gradual lifetime exposure to (largely) man-made toxins, including electromagnetic radiation, or by a single massive exposure.  Whether the WHO recognizes it or not, the effects are all too real for some people.  There's plenty of documentation out there, seek it out if you want to be better informed.

That said, I would not actually expect the degree of accommodation Kari's patron has requested, so perhaps nothing can be done in this situation.  But kudos to the patron for asking.

And, at risk of seeming to lack empathy, I feel Ted's comment was arrogant, ignorant, and snarky, and inappropriate for this forum.


Rhonda Alderman

Dora Badollet Library

Clatsop Community College

1680 Lexington Avenue, Astoria, Oregon 97103

503-338-2462   ralderman at clatsopcc.edu



________________________________
From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> on behalf of Sue Bennett <sbennett at waldportlibrary.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 1:41 PM
To: 'Kari May'; libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Patron accommodation question


We have a patron with the same illness.  She requested that the wifi be turned off, all cell phones (including other patrons phones) and our cordless phones turned off while she was in the building.  We felt this was not a reasonable accommodation since it would disrupt our phone service as well as the other patrons.  We have offered limited research services for her and have carried books out to the car for her.  We did try to find other facilities in town that had wired internet service but were not successful.



Sue







Sue Bennett

Library Director

Waldport Public Library

Community Center Coordinator

460 Hemlock

PO Box 1357

Waldport, OR  97394

(541) 563-5880

www.waldportlibrary.org<http://www.waldportlibrary.org/>



“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.”

--Mason Cooley



From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> On Behalf Of Kari May
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 12:50 PM
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: [Libs-Or] Patron accommodation question



We have a patron with the following request:



I suffer from a condition called Electro Hypersensitivity, also called microwave sickness. Many others also suffer from this condition (Alan DeBoer’s wife is one). When in the presence of a strong wifi signal, my symptoms of ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and headaches worsen.



I am requesting there are days and times when wifi is turned off for people like me. I LOVE reading and have checked out many books from the library.



Have any of you encountered similar requests? How would you handle this situation?



Kari May

Library Director

Jackson County Library Services

205 S. Central Ave. Medford, OR 97501

541-774-6401

[Jackson County Library Services Logo]



Confidentiality Disclaimer
The information contained in this email may be confidential and/or legally privileged. It has been sent for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). If the reader of this message is not an intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication, or any of its contents, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please reply to the sender and destroy all copies of the message. To contact us directly, send to postmaster at lsslibraries.com<mailto:postmaster at lsslibraries.com>. Thank you.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20190201/ac18ba4b/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10047 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20190201/ac18ba4b/attachment.png>