[bksvol-discuss] Re: hold for revisited
- From: "Lori Castner" <loralee.castner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 09:33:56 -0800
Cindy, I very much agree with your points I think that in some ways new
validators are really on their own; of course, we have the manual and
information from this list, but when we validate a book we just have to hope it
will come out well.
I submitted a book a while back and requested on this list that if someone on
the list took the book to validate that I would appreciate feedback about my
submission; I did all the things to the book that I would do when validating
it. I hoped that sort of feedback would confirm the success of what I am
doing. That book is still out for validation--which is fine--but don't know if
I will ever hear.
I think that this discussion gives us an opportunity to share our views, but
really it won't change anything.
Also, I have very much appreciated the support that you have given directly to
me.
Cat Lover Lori
----- Original Message -----
From: groups Warford
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:44 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: hold for revisited
Hi Monica,
I do understand your points as far as percentages go. However, I do
respectfully disagree. What I and other new members of the rowing club have to
fight is the perception that we couldn't row well and basically never will be
able to row well. This perception was held by the long-term members and
unfortunately by the Executive Director at the time. So, for example, I was
told that I couldn't row in windy conditions without ever having been tested to
see if that were true. It turned out that I am one of the better people in
rowing in windy conditions because I'm not afraid of the water, and being
blind, the waves that are kicked up aren't an added distraction the way they
are for a sighted person. We had one guy join the club and won a silver medal
at the Southeast regional championships. However, none of the long-term
members thought he could. And, even when he did, he was looked at as a threat
(this part, the threat, is not like Bookshare). So, basically the rowing club
had no way for someone to prove and improve their skill level so that a
long-term member would know the newer people could b trusted.
So, what I'm feeling here from this discussion is that I, as a new validator,
don't know how to win people's trust. What do I need to do to show that I can
or can't handle a book with scripture and so on? It's very subjective. As far
as a submitter and a validator who are used to working with each other being
able to talk in the room or on the phone or via Skype, what prevents a new
validator from being able to do the same if given the chance?
Honestly, I really don't know who puts "hold for" a lot, and I never thought
and still don't think of you as doing so. However, Dave's message did, as I
said, strike a chord and I felt much like I do with the rowing club.
Everything is subjective and how do I improve and how do others know I have
improved?
I mean this very respectfully, and I expect our opinions will never mesh.
That's fine with me; just please don't take my opinions personally and I will
try to follow my own advice.
Thanks for taking the time to write,. I always learn from your insights and
experience, and I thank you very much for that!
Cindy 4
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From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Monica Willyard
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:43 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: hold for revisited
Hi, Cindy. I do understand what you are saying. I think there is a big
difference in what's happening here and in your rowing club. Here's why. There
are literally over 400 books which do not have a hold on them that a new
volunteer is welcome to work on. The holds make up a fairly small portion of
the step 1 list at any given time. Right now, there are 431 books on step 1.
There are 10 books with holds on them. That's less than two percent of the
total of books available for validation. I could understand your concerns if we
were seeing over a hundred holds on step 1 and new volunteers could only work
on the textbooks floating around on step 1. Most of us who submit books
actually upload quite a lot of books without holds. For example, three of the
last five books I've submitted haven't had any holds on them. The other two
books had holds because the books were needed in a time-sensitive manner, one
for a book club and one because it's a Christmas book. When we have the
opportunity to work with someone on a specific project, I think we should have
the freedom to choose to work as we see fit. We can do the hold thing, or we
could just call a person on the phone and upload our book while we're talking
so they can grab it immediately. The result would be the same, though you
wouldn't see "hold for" on the website. It would just take something that's
done openly and push it underground, emphasizing the kind of cliquish behavior
Dave wrote about in his post. I can't speak for anyone else here. I'd rather
see the holds done openly so we all know what's going on and who is doing what.
I don't think this is an issue unless the holds reach the thirty percent level
or more, or if they are used to prevent someone from validating at all. I just
don't see that happening.
Monica Willyard
groups Warford wrote:
Hi Dave,
I usually don't really enjoy controversy, but this strikes a chord with me.
In a lot of ways I agree with you.
Other related posts:
