<div dir="ltr">We haven't had this one exactly, but here's my thinking. ADA requires that we make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities. Turning off the wifi so that nobody else can use it is probably not "reasonable." But maybe there is something else you can do for this patron that would be a reasonable way to help her use the library.<div><br></div><div>I know you probably don't have legal counsel readily available to advise you. One piece of advice we have had from our counsel is to not go down the rabbit hole of questioning whether this person's disability is "real." Since ADA does not allow us to ask for any kind of certification of the disability, that isn't helpful. We just take the patron's word that they have a disability and then try to determine what we can reasonably do.</div><div><br></div><div>I hope this is helpful!<br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><i>Cindy</i></div><div dir="ltr"><b><br></b></div><div dir="ltr"><b>Cindy Gibbon</b><div><b>Director of Policy and Special Projects</b></div><div>My schedule: Monday through Friday</div><div>Multnomah County Library</div><div>503.988.5496</div><div><a href="http://multcolib.org" target="_blank">multcolib.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>Pronouns: She, her, hers</div><div><br></div><div><img src="https://multcolib.org/sites/default/files/MultCoLib_2LineLogo_RGBemail_sig2.png"> <br></div><div><img src="https://multco.us/sites/default/files/styles/small/public/InclusiveSign_email-signature_FINAL.jpeg?itok=D8MA9Y9G" width="96" height="60"><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Jan 29, 2019 at 12:50 PM Kari May <<a href="mailto:KMay@jcls.org">KMay@jcls.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal">We have a patron with the following request:<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_4852923706538983948MsoPlainText">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.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="gmail-m_4852923706538983948MsoPlainText"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">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.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Have any of you encountered similar requests? How would you handle this situation?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Kari May</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Library Director<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Jackson County Library Services<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">205 S. Central Ave. Medford, OR 97501<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">541-774-6401<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black"><img width="300" height="89" style="width: 3.125in; height: 0.927in;" id="gmail-m_4852923706538983948Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:1689b7316d04cff311" alt="Jackson County Library Services Logo"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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