[bksvol-discuss] Re: For Gwen and Robert

  • From: Debby Franson <the.bee@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:46:49 -0600

Hi Roger!

I have been thinking about this subject.

In a way, I think that scanning is easier, because, when I am doing step one of proofreading, I have the hard copy in front of me that I can check with the optacon when there is a scano I am unsure of. When I am proofreading others submissions, I don't have the hard copy, so I can only figure out scanos that are obvious or some from context, feeling a bit unsure at times.

Debby

At 10:55 PM 11/30/2009, rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx wrote
As a matter of fact, I think proofreading is easier than scanning. Unless you are submitting a raw scan it is proofreading with extra work. Nevertheless Kim, I would urge you to take the plunge and try some scanning too. The more you learn about scannning the more you learn about using a computer in general.


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Subj:
[bksvol-discuss] Re: For Gwen and Robert
Date:
11/30/2009 10:37:56 PM Eastern Standard Time
From:
kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx
Reply-to:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent from the Internet
(Details)
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My goodness Gwen, you have nothing to fear when it comes to proofreading should you decide to do it. One thing I can tell you is that there are many ways to do it. I have a BrailleNote mPower and I use it as a Braille display while I read a book from the beginning to the end. I listen to my screen reader read the text while I follow along with my fingers using the BrailleNote. I'd call it kind of like a feedback or redundancy thing. Have you seen those flour sifters with double or triple screens in them? Think of what I do as if I were sifting flour because what the ears hear the fingers check. I have to make sure that everything is all present and accounted for, title, author bylines, copyright dates, ISbn numbers, publishers, etc. After the prefatory material I read every word of the book. Now I'm taking in the story (if I'm reading fiction), I'm checking to see if there are any errors in the scan you might have missed. If I find any, I use the delete key so I only get rid of stuff that is extraneous to the text. I'd write you and let you know what I'm doing. If I come across a bit of something in the text I'm not sure about, I'd email you and ask you about it, pasting the bit of text I'm having trouble with in the email to you. You'd send me the copy of what the text should be, and I make sure it's in the file I'm working with. One thing I heard right from the start was to have a copy of the file that isn't touched in case I mess up the one I'm working with. I'm still in the beginning stages of this thing. I don't do anything fancy. Eventually I expect to learn the art of this. What I want to know is if the text makes sense. I don't heed the word processing program should it have grammar suggestions for me. If I come across a weird spelling of a word or name, I'd want to know how many times it's in the text. I'd probably write you to verify that the word and the way it's spelled is supposed to be in the text. My philosophy is to do just enough and err on the side of caution. Some people may not use Braille at all when proofreading while others do. I'm still learning the ropes, but so far what I've done is in the Bookshare collection so I must be doing something right or at least I hope this is so. Nobody will twist your arm and you can proofread anything that interests you. So far everything has interested me. The very first thing I did was a children's book,
but the others I've done are fiction books for grownups. Regards, Kim.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of gwen tweedy
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 2:56 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: For Gwen and Robert

I too assumed that those books would go very fast simply from things I have read here from time to time. I think they are getting lost in the admin cue now that would be up to him to correct me if I am wrong. And yes for me, if I were a proof reader, except for some of the books he's helped me with, I wouldn't read them either I just can't read those kinds of
books.
As for my books, I've learned a lot, I feel that even as much as recently I have gotten better, but as for myself, I am keenly aware that my books might
be as fast on the uptake because of my past reputation as a new scanner.
So I understand that, and can now deal with that.
If I find that I am not making it I promise you, I'll be the first to leave volunteering altogether, because I do not need nor want to be in the way of
good reading material here bookshare is so famous for.
I promise you, I would not want anyone putting up junk from me that would not be fair to y'all. Some things you can learn, some things a person can't and if I fail to get it, then I'm out of here lock stock and barrel. Most here scan and proof excellently, and I would no more tarnish that reputation for this whole world. It was my hope when I first put my name up to be a volunteer to put up more of the Christian type of books, if not Christian wholesome books those my
grandma would care to read.
But that wholly has not happened, from a number of factors of my own making the buck stops here as it were. If I fail to meet this my personal goal, that at that time, which could be today, tomorrow, or perhaps never then I would bow out and leave it to those
who know best.
I wish I could proof books, but I've bungled scans lord knows what I'd do to a proof. Plus there are so many rules to proofing my lands I couldn't keep up with them all, that is to hard for me simple mind LOL. I most likely should have just stuck to reading it would have been a lot less trouble for us all.
You have a wonderful day,
Gwen

block quote
----- Original Message -----
From:
Monica Willyard
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 3:26 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] For Gwen and Robert
Gwen, you're right. Robert is an experienced and valuable member of our community. Robert, how many books do you have that are waiting to be approved? Are
they on step 1 or in the admin queue?

Gwen, there are several factors in play regarding Robert's books. I don't know if you're aware of all of these, so I thought I'd share them. Some of them
can probably be addressed by people on this list. Others can't.

On the staff side, Carrie was on vacation for a week before Thanksgiving. Also, most of the staff had some time off last week for the holiday. I have found that she generally approves books from volunteers within 24 to 48 hours of their entry into the admin queue. Carrie used to be a volunteer just like us, and she remembers the frustration of waiting and waiting for a book to be approved. She has worked with Robert as a fellow volunteer as well and knows
of his skills and flexible attitude.

From here, it looks like the bottleneck right now is in getting books proofread. The number of books on step 1 is piling up again. Our number of active volunteers and their preferences for reading determine how fast a book is processed. This factor affects everyone who submits books. For awhile everyone was worried about not having any books to work on. Some people quit looking for new books on step 1 because of all of the books with holds on them. Now
there are a lot of excellent books needing a proofreader.

The other factor, on a more personal level, is hard for me to explain. Robert is a consistent and dedicated volunteer. I respect him for his dedication and teamwork. Yet I am hesitant to take his books for a personal reason. In the past, Robert has been willing to scan some adult-rated content for Bookshare. It's my perception that much of what he scans would be classified as steamy romances. I prefer not to read the steamier books. This isn't about Robert or his skills as a submitter. It's about me and what I want to read. I generally don't like to draw attention to this issue since I think it's a personal one on my part. Since I feel uncomfortable asking Robert which books are adult, I let others take his books when he submits. I figured it would make him angry if I asked about it. If I am wrong about what Robert submits, I apologize and take full responsibility for not checking out my assumptions with him.

I think what I'm saying is that we might do a better job of communicating with each other. I know I need to do that. I didn't know that Robert's books weren't getting added to the collection. I also assumed that most people are more comfortable with adult content than I am and that those would be done quickly.
I could be wrong on both counts.

The last thing I want is for you or Robert to feel ignored or unappreciated. I don't have an immediate solution. I think we could find ways to work this out together, with the help of the Bookshare community. It would help us fix the problem if we know exactly what's going on, if the books are on step 1,
or are they getting lost in the admin queue.

Monica Willyard
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." -- Peter Drucker

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 10:32 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:
block quote
I think a timely manner is the key.
And those who have scanned for years and their books are good, and everyone knows they are good, to me there shouldn't be a delay.
Some books get up there right away, so what is the difference  in books?
Especially those of like Robert's when his books have been tried and true for a long time. Eventually volunteers are gonna quit submitting books, because they aren't getting anywhere. Some books stay up there for a long time. It's grand for kids books grand for grants, but I think they are forgetting the submitters especially those hard working ones like Bob who turns in a quality scan each and every time not like his wife who turns no quality scans LOL.
I understand me, but Bob that is different.
His should go right away.
Gwen

----- Original Message -----
From:
robert tweedy
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 11:58 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: What is the main concern these days?

That's fine as long as our books get into the system on a timey matter.
----- Original Message -----
From:
Denise Thompson
To:
bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2009 2:50 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: What is the main concern these days?

I think BKS's concern is to do books that fit their grant money. educational which seems to be most books for kids and teens in addition to text books, of course. Adult books don't seem to be educational- especially those that have some romance in them. Since they have out-sourcers and do their grant books with them as well as in house, I feel like I need to continue to scan adult books for the rest of us who aren't students and who don't want to read kids
books and teen books.
Denise

  At 09:32 AM 11/30/2009, you wrote:
block quote
I've noticed a strong emphasis on children's books as well. This is wonderful, so long as it isn't at the expense of books for us adults, too.

Melissa

robert tweedy wrote:
block quote
I am just wondering about bookshare policy of submitted books. Taking a look at the cue, it looks like children's books which is okay but what about books
that are just for pleasure.
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