This is interesting. I didn't know bookshare has had boxes of donated books stacked so high as to be a hazzard. Do any of you scan books that are sent to you? I only have the KNFB reader at home which wouldn't for this purpose so, if I bought a book, would someone be willing to scan it if I sent it to you? . I don't know how often this woul be, probably not vary since it has been quite a while since I've bought any books, but figured it can't hurt to ask. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 6:02 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Romances and grants Dear Tammy,Shelley, Roger, and Booksharian Friends,Thank you, Shelley, for your lucid, experience based explanation of how it is that most books qualify for grant support at Bookshare. A good example of the popular fiction books Bookshare is scanning by the dozens is the Goosebumps series. Some kids love 'em and teachers use 'em so into the collection they go!
Tammy, as a romance lover you're going to find plenty to read in the Bookshare collection. Bookshare isn't shunning romances, but when spending grant funds, it must follow grant guidelines from the government which supplies the money. Several active volunteers contribute quality scans and proofreadings of romances. In fact, though it isn't my favorite genre, I've scanned and proofread some romances myself.
As for why Bookshare isn't encouraging donations of romances, aside for the fact that the grant doesn't supply funds for staff to process it in house,I suspect lack of space to store donated books is part of the problem. Bookshare rents office space. I've heard from staff that at times boxes of donated books have lined the walls of the conference room and they can only be stacked so high before becoming a hazard.
Did you notice that the first several books on John's list of new books are romances? Bookshare and many readers welcome them. The cool thing is that we volunteers are free to submit and proof any type of book we like. I love it that we aren't bound by grant specifications.
Since I'm a volunteer like you and only communicate with the staff on the rare occasions, 2 or 3 times a year, when I need information I can't get on this list, or botch information I've filled in on a form and want it corrected, I can't answer your questions officially. In my experience the staff are patient with our questions so don't hesitate to ask them the questions you asked in your post.
I'll be glad to talk to you off list about your scanning and proofreading questions. When I began volunteering about three years ago, and all along since then, I learn techniques and tricks on this list and off list with helpful volunteers who enjoy sharing what they know. Like Allisa who is new and already giving good advice, you'll soon be answering questions yourself.
Always with love, Lissi----- Original Message ----- From: Tammy Blaker
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 9:04 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Romances and grants Lissi,I don't understand , why would Romances not be covered? I love romances and lots of other women do too. If it covers SCI-FI and other fiction books then why would it not cover romance? If it is the sex in romances they should read some SCI-FI and mystery books, because sex is in lots of other books too.
I scan Harlequin books and other romance all the time so I can submit them if there are proofreaders for them. I want to get the rest of Catherine Coulter books and scan them too.
Why wont Bookshare do a training class for scanners and proofreaders like they do for Victor Reader and Read Out Loud? The manual does not give much info on what is the best fonts, how to do the best headers and how the auto computers work with the scan programs. I want the books I submit to sail through without problems and would take the time to fix them so they would.
I set my OCR to English UK and it is doing great now and I'm scanning 50 pages a day. I hope to get faster as I learn. Almost every romances is in UK English not American.
I have a question. On the book I submitted. Radha Ayalasomayajul Checkout the book and it says: Active artifact id 421897 (RFT)
Then it say Radha Ayalasomayajula Checkout Active artifact id 421898 (Daisy)
I understand the first Radha Ayalasomayajul is proofing my rft file of the book. But the second part does it mean she is turning it into a Daisy book so it can be checked out? Does she work for Bookshare? I'm just trying to understand the steps from my rft book file to a book that can be checked out at Bookshare.
Tammy
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