Dear Marti:

Regarding your request about the request for a sign interpretr. . . . .

I essentially agree with you.  However, you want to handle this in a
diplomatic way not to anger someone and create trouble even if you were to
win any case that came out of it.

I would reply myself something like:

We are glad you are coming to do research in our facilities.  We need
clarification regarding your interpretr request.  Do you expect that you
will be required to have extensive verbal, face-to-face conversations with
the library staff?  If this were the case, we will try to meet your
request.  As you realize this is an expensive service, and we cannot afford
to pay such a person to be standing by while you spend large amounts of
time reading and writing with only an occasional verbal interchange with
staff.

If, as it seems when doing research, you will work alone most of the time,
our staff will be eager to interact with you in writing and will do
everything we can to assist you as we would with anyone doing research here
. . . .


Good luck.
Norman

At 01:10 PM 8/1/01 -0700, you wrote:
>Hello, all!
>A colleague who works in a state library asked me this question; I asked
>permission to tap into your collective wisdom to see if any of you have
>answers that differ from my own.
>
>A deaf patron who plans to go to the library to do research contacted the
>reference supervisor and requested that a sign language interpreter be made
>available during the visit. The patron is a professional person who will be
>using print materials to do this research. There was no indication that the
>patron cannot read or write.
>
>I responded that I do not believe that the library is required to provide a
>sign language interpreter in this situation. If the patron simply needs to
>ask for guidance to find the materials needed to do the research, this
>should be easily accomplished by communicating through writing. No audio or
>uncaptioned video materials will be used to do the research.
>
>Do any of you know of any rulings that would require that an interpreter be
>engaged for this type of interchange?
>
>Thanks in advance for your advice,
>Marti
>________________________________
>Marti Goddard, Access Services Manager
>San Francisco Public Library
>100 Larkin Street
>San Francisco, CA 94102
>415-557-4557 (v) 415-557-4433 (tty)
>415-557-4531 (fax)
>