[bksvol-discuss] Re: Publisher Quality Books needing synopses

  • From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:08:06 -0500

Dear Jamie, and Booksharian Friends,

It's great when the Amazon blurbs are taken from the backs of the books, but if 
we don't know that for sure, we can't risk using them, because we risk 
violating the exemption to the law which allows us to quote copyrighted 
material in the first place. Citing the fair use provision of the copyright law 
to justify quoting from Amazon synopses and user comments or from any other 
reviews in the book or from other sources  doesn't make us safe from violating 
the law because Bookshare isn't held accountable to that copyright law, but to 
a series of exceptions passed into law exclusively for Bookshare. We have no 
choice about what material we use for synopses. If we copy reviewer's quotes or 
Amazon's readers reviews, we put Bookshare at serious legal risk. 
Jim Fruckterman, CEO of Bookshare, stated this specifically in his address last 
night giving Amazon as an example. 

This isn't convenient for us in terms of finding quick ways to summarize a 
book, but we are bound to keep strictly to Bookshare's agreement with the 
government and publishers or risk Bookshare's very existence. 

To the volunteers in general, please don't jeopardize Bookshare because it's 
extra work to invent synopses when none are provided in the book. Bookshare 
isn't trying to add to our workload, but it must keep to its legal 
agreements.If 
publishers feel Bookshare has violated their trust, they have the clout... the 
resources to shut Bookshare down. 

While I'm at it, I'm grateful to every volunteer each time I read about a book 
on the new books list with a short synopsis which gives me clues as to whether 
I want to investigate it further. Then I appreciate the long synopses which 
help me make my final decision as to whether or not I'd like to read a book. 
Synopses make browsing informative and fun. They are well worth the effort you 
make to include them. 

Always with love,

Lissi

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jamie Yates, CPhT 
  To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:47 PM
  Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Publisher Quality Books needing synopses


  Many times one of the blurbs on Amazon are actually the same thing that is on 
the inside flap of the book or the back cover of the book. You can use those 
for the synopsis. You cannot use like a review written by somebody else. On 
Amazon if you click on see all editorial reviews the one that says book 
description is usually the one they take right from the cover of the book.




  Jamie in Michigan 
  Currently Reading - Portrait in Death by J. D. Robb

  I'm an eBay affiliate, click here before you bid! 
  Click here for eBay! 

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