<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">I have EHS (electromagnetic hypersensitivity). It's difficult to talk about, since most people don't experience the headaches, chest pains, and other symptoms that wireless and smartphone signals visit upon those of us with this condition. It is a tangible physical response, and it is very real. The depiction on "Better Call Saul" was inaccurate and isn't a helpful reference point, to be honest.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">It can be hard to determine the source of EHS pain, and its sufferers may indeed have a tendency to seem, or become, paranoid regarding technology in all its forms. Your patron will have to make peace with the fact that she will get at least a low-level headache every time she comes into the library due to the presence of a wifi network. To live with EHS is to always have at least a low-level headache, but sitting in the "path" of an active signal brings on a sudden headache that disappears when the device stops sending or receiving data.<br><br>She's right that smartphones are a major trigger, at least while they are online. She would also want to avoid sitting near wireless printers or routers. I manage my headaches by using wired internet and a dumbphone (no internet, just calls and texts). A tablet would not help in this case, as it would have to connect to a wireless network for internet access. But I don't believe that anyone should be excused from going through your security gates (!) even if it causes brief discomfort. <br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">I understand your patron's frustration, but it's probably impossible to make the library a place where she doesn't experience EHS pain. My advice: believe her, express compassion, and perhaps find her a book on the subject. Here's one called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Zapped-Shouldnt-Outsmart-Electronic-Pollution/dp/0061864285/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469212394&sr=8-2&keywords=zapped" target="_blank">Zapped</a>. Until EHS is a federally recognized disability, that may be all you can do. <br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="font-family:arial;font-size:small"><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)">Elizabeth Berntsen</div><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136)">Circulation Supervisor</div></div><div style="font-family:arial;font-size:small"><div style="color:rgb(136,136,136);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><div dir="ltr"><div>Oregon College of Art and Craft</div><div><br></div><div><div style="color:rgb(223,95,19);font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0120115280151px;font-weight:bold;line-height:14.9915542602539px"><span style="color:rgb(191,191,191)">Through craft we make.</span></div><div style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0120115280151px;font-weight:bold;line-height:14.9915542602539px;color:rgb(80,0,80)"><font color="#bfbfbf"><div>Make a statement.</div><div>Make things better.</div><div>Make them different.</div></font><font color="#df5f13">MAKE ART. </font></div></div><div><font color="#df5f13"><br></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 3:50 PM, WILT Laura E <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Laura.E.WILT@odot.state.or.us" target="_blank">Laura.E.WILT@odot.state.or.us</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">I mentioned this email in an informal meeting our Research Unit was having. The “Better Ask Saul” program came up, but one of our geologists mentioned that, when he had worked at DOGAMI, he was contacted by
a woman who claimed to be so sensitive to electro-magnetic disturbances that she could very successfully predict earthquakes – in addition to having issues with electronics. She was so adamant about her abilities that Matthew apparently told her that he would
be happy to document her predictions, and see how they matched up with actual events. She did not take him up on that – which, if she truly had the ability, was rather a shame, because he would definitely have followed through with tracking it.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:teal">Laura</span></i></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1f497d">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Laura Wilt, Librarian</span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Oregon Dept. of Transportation Library</span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">555 13th St NE, Ste. 1</span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Salem, OR 97301-4178</span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="tel:503-986-3280" value="+15039863280" target="_blank">503-986-3280</a></span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><a href="mailto:Laura.e.wilt@odot.state.or.us" target="_blank">Laura.e.wilt@odot.state.or.us</a></span><span style="color:#1f497d">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1f497d">M-Th 7-4:30; F 7-11<u></u><u></u></span></p><span>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> Libs-Or [mailto:<a href="mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Ted Smith<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 21, 2016 2:35 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Libs-Or] (no subject)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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</span><p class="MsoNormal">I’m having a hard time writing this e-mail because this patron’s request is so off the wall, but in the spirit of investigating, at least …. Has anyone heard of people having “electronic” disabilities. We have a patron who will not
walk through our RFID gates because she says the “electronic” waves are dangerous. Her most recent request is to segregate at least one internet terminal, so that she does not have to sit next to people who possess cell phones. They give her a headache.
I have yet to tell her that our entire building is wi-fi enabled and that there is public utility transformer that hangs just outside our building, or that there are millions of little electric gremlins going through our bodies every day courtesy of the sun.
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<p class="MsoNormal">To be honest, she’s giving me a headache. I’ve searched and searched, but have found no reference to a credible “electronic” disability. Any ideas. <u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Ted Smith, Director<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Newport Public Library <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Newport, OR 97365<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="tel:541.574.0600" value="+15415740600" target="_blank">541.574.0600</a><u></u><u></u></p>
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