When the library roars: Tinnitus and the tortured patron

Most university libraries are dedicated to aiding people with disabilities or special needs, including the deaf or hearing impaired. However, there are people who suffer from tinnitus–a malady that causes a ringing, buzzing, or other sounds in their heads that can not only interfere with hearing, as the deaf or hearing impaired but causes other problems for the sufferer. Too often, people with tinnitus are grouped together with the deaf or hearing impaired by librarians and the special considerations necessary to make tinnitus sufferers fully functional, information seekers are either overlooked or not known. This paper discusses the problems tinnitus causes to people and makes several suggestions to librarians unfamiliar with this plight to aid the sufferer.