Great point Roger!
-----Original Message-----
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2015 12:39 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Question about a book
Let me add this. If you have a strong opinion about the content of a book, its
appropriateness, its appropriateness or inappropriateness for certain groups of
people or other opinions, remember that these opinions are just that, opinions,
and Bookshare provides a place for you to express your opinions. On the
metadata page for each and every book in the collection near the bottom of the
page is a link to click that takes you to a page where you may write a review.
For whatever reason it seems that most users ignore this. But it is there. It
is there and anyone who looks at the metadata page can read the opinions
expressed in the reviews that are posted there. So post your reviews and
express yourselves!
On 7/23/2015 2:36 PM, Madeleine Linares wrote:
Hi everyone,in
Thank you all for your comments about adult content.
Here's how we handle it at Bookshare: if anyone can walk into their local
library and find the book on the shelves, don't mark it adult content. DO
make a note in the synopsis about the content! That's the perfect place to
inform the reader of what he or she can expect. If you come across something
that you think is adult content but aren't sure, email me
(volunteer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)!
I know this won't please every single person but it's our current policy and
we request you to respect it. If you have any other questions, comments, or
concerns about adult content, please contact me off-list.
Thanks,
Madeleine Linares
Volunteer Coordinator
Bookshare, a Benetech Initiative
650-644-3459
volunteer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran
Bailey
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2015 11:27 AM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Question about a book
Anne, I didn't say a thing about not having a warning label. As a
matter of fact, I said to put it in the synopsis. I certainly agree
that the more information one has to base one's decisions about
reading choices the better. I also have nothing against a book that
was written for adults with an adult audience in mind being labeled as
adult. Bookshare does not have an adult category, but if one is added
then that would be welcome. However, it effectively already exists in
that there is a children's category and that, not withstanding
miscategorized books, it can be assumed that if a book is not listed
under the children's category then it must be for adults. The problem
is with the adult check box that one finds when submitting a book. If
it is checked then anyone under the age of eighteen cannot download it
and does not even see it on the site if they are browsing or searching
for something. That is flat out censorship. As for some people under a
certain age not understand
g certain subject matter, So what? What do you do when you find yourselfw
reading something that you do not understand? I suspect that you quit reading
it. That's what I do. There have been some exceptions though.
When I was in college I found that I did not understand organic
chemistry. It would have been nice if I had been able to just skip the
classes in that subject and stop reading the material that was
required reading for those classes, but if I wanted to complete my
degree in biology I did not have the option of skipping it. Somehow I
even managed to pass my organic chemistry classes, but I still don't
think I understand the subject very well. Did it do me any harm to
read organic chemistry textbooks? Not a bit. At most it may have
wasted some of my time and caused me some frustration, but I still
weathered it quite well. Other than a scenario like that, though, when
someone finds him or herself reading material that he or she does not
understand the usual outcome is that he or she stops reading it and
finds something else to read that is understandable. So what's the
problem? The big problem that I see is that some people who have had
their sexuality warped and have grown up
ith unwarranted repressions try to dictatorially insist that everyone else
have their sexuality warped in the same way. They insist on it to the degree
of censorship and repression. I am all for anyone having whatever sexual
attitudes they might want or feel comfortable with, but I sure do have a
problem with them when they insist on imposing those attitudes on others. If
parents want to be involved in guiding their children in reading choices then
that is okay too, but guidance is one thing and having other people impose a
ban on certain reading material unless the parent makes an active effort to
counteract such a ban is another thing.
On 7/23/2015 7:07 AM, Ann Parsons wrote:
Hi all,To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to
Now Roger, I agree that nothing should be censored but I think that
there is some material that needs to have a warning label on it. As
has been said before, if you can find it on a book shelf in an open
aisle in a store, it's probably not Adult Content. However, some
books which have explicit descriptions of aberrant sex, violence, and
are considered to be soft porn, should be labeled as Adult Content.
Some LGBT lit might be labeled Adult content, not because I have
anything against the LGBT community, but because kids under say
sixteen, depending on the kid, probably have no understanding of or
interest in such things. I do understand that the restriction can be
lifted for a given child if a teacher or parent agrees. this, I feel
is a good thing because it implies that the child will be reading the
book under supervision. This is necessary for some material, I
think. I'm not saying kids shouldn't read such stuff, but that they
should do so with the knowledge of an adult who can explain, discuss,
and answer questions about a given book.
I don't thing there are too many books in the Bookshare collection
which would be considered Adult Content. This is, of course a
subjective categorization. If 'twere me, I'd be very careful as to
what I labeled as Adult Content. If in doubt, check with us. Some
of us have been reading a good, long time, and are familiar with many
authors.
As Tom Lehr said, "To be smut it must be ut-terly without redeeming
social importance ..."
Ann P.
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