[bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare is 6!
- From: "liz halperin" <lizzersagain@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:28:30 -0800
Let's see, Bookshare turns 6 in Feb., and my renewal date is March 6, so I
was right in on the start. I knew that. The initial set-up and membership
fees were the only time I paid: volunteer scanned ever since. I thank Guido
for being my scanning mentor/guru. Went from OpenBook to Kurzweil in the
first couple years.
Memories: fear the site would be closed like Napster, so every month I
downloaded the max 50 books allowed and burned them to CD to have when the
site was closed.
My on-going argument that we should be focusing on quality over quantity. In
the end all I did was keep my own standard up.
I recalling trolling for books I had missed. I'd hit the alphabet listings,
pick a letter, and go from there. Some letters only had 4 or 5 authors. None
of the letters had more than one page of authors.
Downloading and reading braille books that were of incredibly poor quality
but reading them anyway because I remembered them from print days and
thought I'd never have access again. Having an early comment used as a
sound-bite.
A very limited home page.
No option for donations. My folks and a local service club wanted to donate,
but there was no process in place. (I remember telling Jim F. that at a CSUN
conference dinner.)
That first (I think) Bookshare dinner in a back room at a restaurant at
CSUN: meeting Guido (Mr. Debonair) and Pratik, and East Coast E. and various
staff and I don't recall which other member/volunteers. Sitting next to Jim
and chatting. Teaching Gustavo dirty ASL signs, grin. And at the booth
making Peter Scialli, unknowing who I was by name, tell me all about
Bookshare and why I should join.
I remember many early staffers (there weren't that many). Changes and more
changes.
This past year's announcement about federal grant and college texts becoming
available by request. But now it seems the emphasis is on k-12, not college.
Bummer.
And where will we all be at 10 years? (Gustavo, I MISS YOU!!!)
Used to be Liz in Seattle, now Liz in Portland
Liz Halperin
Portland, OR
lizzersagain@xxxxxxxxxxx
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