Not to worry, Mayrie. The brief synopses I will supply won't go into the collection, fortunately or unfortunately, as the case may be. They'll only be on the list I send out of English-language books that have been added to the collection that day. Pratik, what exactly is the boookshare policy? I would never take a whole review, and I usually, when I do synopses for books I'm going to upload into the collection, either write my own or take from the cover flap. But does bookshare prohibit a sentence of two or three? How exactly is the prohibition worded? G.Cindy --- Mayrie ReNae <mrenae@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi Cindy, > > You are very kind to make this offer. But, > I, personally, > would rather that you didn't provide synopses for > publisher quality > books. My issue is only partially that the synopses > aren't > there. It is also partially that Bookshare (the > organization) is not > holding itself to the standards it has itself set by > not providing > synopses for books submitted in-house. If you > provide synopses, you > are just keeping those who submit and validate those > books from > having to do the work that is required for the > submission of books. > > Also, regarding the lack of brf copies of these > books, I am glad that > there is a work around for our deaf-blind Bookshare > users. But, > again, Bookshare is not holding itself to the > standard which it has > set by saying that books are available in brf > format, and then not > providing that format on these books. > > I understand and appreciate that fixes for all of > these things are in > the works. That is nice. I just think that > releasing these books > into the Bookshare collection that do not meet > Bookshare's own > criteria for books in its collection is premature. > It is just my > opinion, but I think these books should be held in > reserve until they > meet all existing Bookshare criteria for books being > submitted, and > included in the collection. > > Peace, > Mayrie > > At 03:21 PM 2/23/2008, you wrote: > >Ann and Mayrie, and others. > > > >You are all very persuasive, and I should have read > >all of today's mail before posted the one about > >synopses. > > > >For those of you who receive my nightly emails of > >books-added, I will provide some kind of synopsis, > >genre if nothing else, but more if I can. Anyone > not > >on my list who wants to be added can let me know > >offlist. > > > >G. Cindy > >popularplace@xxxxxxxxx > > > > > >--- Ann Parsons <akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > > Hi Mayrie, > > > > > > Hmmm, I've left your message below deliberately. > I > > > think you are right > > > in that the publisher Quality books do need > > > synopses. I think that > > > before you decide not to submit any more books, > you > > > may want to > > > consider how this boycott will affect readers. > The > > > Bookshare staff > > > isn't going to care if you don't submit any > books, > > > just you, Mayrie. > > > The whole volunteer contingent would have to > boycott > > > Bookshare in order > > > for it to affect the staff. > > > > > > On the other hand, here's a couple of solutions. > > > First, your > > > suggestion of making the submitter of the > Publisher > > > Quality books > > > responsible for their synopses is not a good > idea > > > because these books > > > come in large bunches. To make one person > > > responsible for synopses for > > > all these books is, IMO unfair. > > > > > > However, there is a solution, which I think will > be > > > equitable for all. > > > How would it be if there was a new job created > > > called Synopsis Hunter. > > > It's not as interesting as hunting for the > snark, I > > > am sure, but it is > > > a worthy task. Could there be a list created > > > somewhere of these > > > Publisher Quality books so that a Synopsis > Hunter > > > could find them and > > > seek their synopses? Might I suggest that a > > > volunteer be given $1.00 > > > credit for each book for which he/she found a > > > synopsis? > > > > > > This also would require one of the staff to > place > > > synopses with their > > > books. this would add to their work load > because > > > the books really > > > should have their synopses accompanying them > when > > > they're submitted. > > > That allocation of staff resources should, of > course > > > be done by > > > Benetech admins. > > > > > > No, Mayrie, I don't think you need boycott > Bookshare > > > because they > > > haven't refused to fix the problem. They > haven't > > > had time to ignore > > > it, and they haven't even come onto the list to > > > express an opinion or > > > give info either way. Now, if they refused > utterly > > > to make equitable > > > solutions, or if they refused to listen to you, > or > > > something like that, > > > then, you might have reason for a boycott. > However, > > > let's not throw > > > out the baby with the bath water quite yet. > Give > > > Benetech a chance to > > > answer us. > > > > > > BTW, I noticed that Amazonia by James Rollins is > now > > > on Bookshare. I > > > have downloaded this book, and plan to read it > post > > > haste. I can't > > > write a synopsis because I haven't read it, but > > > Rollins is in the same > > > category with Preston and Child. There are > several > > > of his books > > > already on Bookshare. His books are > excellent! > > > They are edge of the > > > chair, pounding heart, non-stop science > > > fiction/suspense novels that > > > will cause you to cancel all engagements, turn > off > > > your phone, put out > > > a Do-Not-Disturb sign on your door, and > generally > > > make it impossible > > > for you to do anything at all except read! Oh, > you > > > might want to pause > > > long enough for sustenance, as reading does > require > > > some brain power > > > and food keeps your brain active. > > > > > > Ann P. > > > > > > Original message: > > > > Hello Everyone, > > > > > > > As volunteers we are required to > include > > > at least a short synopsis > > > > with our submissions of books in order to have > > > them even accepted as > > > > submissions. I do not like not seeing any > > > synopses at all with the > > > > dozens of Publisher Quality books. If we are > > > required to provide a > > > > synopsis with each book that we wish to add to > the > > > Bookshare > > > > collection, I think that Publisher Quality > books > > > should not be exempt > > > > from this requirement. > > > > > > > I don't know who is responsible for adding > these > > > new Publisher > > > > Quality books to the collection, but I think > > > whoever is responsible > > > > for including them should also be responsible > for > > > including a > > > > synopsis with each book. It isn't as though > > > anyone had to take the > > > > time to scan the book, or even validate it, so > > > someone should at > > > > least be held accountable for providing a > > > synopsis. > > > > > > > If I want to know if a book is of interest to > me, > > > I have to go > > > > seeking somewhere else a synopsis of it. That > > > isn't impossible, but > > > > it is a pain, especially since we as > volunteers > > > are required to make > > > > the effort to include a synopsis with each > book > > > which we wish to have > > > > added to the Bookshare collection. > Requirements > > > should be > > > > requirements across the board, in my opinion. > > > > > > > I am seriously considering not submitting any > more > > > books until this > > > > inequity has been rectified. > > > > > > > Mayrie > > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank > Email > > > to > > > > bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > > put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > > > subject line. To get a > > > > list of available commands, put the word > 'help' by > > > itself in the subject line. > > > > > > -- > > > Ann K. Parsons > > > Portal Tutoring > > > EMAIL: akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx > > > http://www.portaltutoring.info > > > "All that is gold does not glitter, > > > Not all those who wander are lost." > > > > > > Email services provided by the System Access > Mobile > > > Network. Visit > > > www.serotek.com to learn more about > accessibility > > > anywhere. > > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank > Email to > > > bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > subject > > > line. To get a list of available commands, put > the > > > word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > > > > > > > > > > >***WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE > BOOKSHARE > >COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AT > >http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/Book_Requests.htm > >http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ > >http://studentpages.alma.edu/~07jmyate/book_requests.htm > > > >A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS > AVAILABLE AT > >http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/scanning.html > > > >Jake's site for useful links: > http://www.jbrownell.com/bkslinks.html > > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ > >Looking for last minute shopping deals? > >Find them fast with Yahoo! > >Search. > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email > to > >bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > >put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject > line. To get a > >list of available commands, put the word 'help' by > itself in the subject line. > > To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to > bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject > line. To get a list of available commands, put the > word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > ***WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AT http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/Book_Requests.htm http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ http://studentpages.alma.edu/~07jmyate/book_requests.htm A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE AT http://people.delphiforums.com/jamiecalton/scanning.html Jake's site for useful links: http://www.jbrownell.com/bkslinks.html ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. 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