Assistive Devices

Persons with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purpose of obtaining or using library services and may have free access to assistive devices available in the Library designed to help a person with a disability to carry out activities or to gain access to library services.

Exceptions may occur in situations where the Library has determined that the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of the person with a disability or to the health and safety of others on Library premises. In these situations, the Library may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist them in obtaining and using library services, where the Library has such other measures available. It is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that their assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.

Service Animals

Persons entering Library facilities may be accompanied by a service animal. If it is not readily apparent that the animal is a service animal, Library employees may ask if an animal is a service animal and whether documentation of the animal’s status is available. If documentation is not immediately available, the person and the animal, normally, will be allowed access to the Library for the current visit and asked to bring documentation for future visits.

Service animals are generally dogs but do include other animals. It is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that their service animal is always kept under control.

Support Persons

Persons with a disability may enter Library premises with a support person to assist with communication, mobility or medical needs or with access to Library Services and may have access to the support person while on the premises.

A support person, when assisting a person with a disability to obtain or use Library services, will be permitted to attend at no charge where an admission fee is applicable. Persons with disabilities may provide their library card or its duplicate fob to a support person for use by the support person on their behalf.

The Library may require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person when on the premises. Before making a decision to require a support person, the Library will consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs, consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence and determine if there is any other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises.

Information and Communication

The Library will provide access to or arrange for access to accessible materials where they exist and will provide library publicity and reports in alternate formats upon request. The Library complies with the Clear, Accessible and Large Print Guidelines developed by the City of Hamilton in conjunction with the City of Hamilton Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities. The Library will work to ensure the website and web content is accessible according to the appropriate Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.