[bksvol-discuss] Re: the story of a proofer

Hi Ann,


As a submitter,

Smile, I see two types of holds.
1. Holds I intentionally put n books and usually the held for person takes the book and works on it at his leisure.
2. The hold placed on a book that was sent back for more editing where the proofer, has no interest in proofing it again. I have six books sitting on my list that are this way. One was submitted by an individual who did fifty in one day, and most had to be sent back for more proofing. There they sit with his hold on them, and he hasn't touched them.
Smile. So I agree there should be a time limit, as I have had books sitting for months, and I can't self proof, smile so I just get to sit and see them sitting there in my Scans in processing and hope someone will take them and fix what needs to be done, smile. 

Shelley L. Rhodes, VRT

Guide dogs for the Blind Alumni Association
www.guidedogs.com
Reading a book is like rewriting it for yourself. You bring to a novel, anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and you read it in your own terms. -Angela Carter, novelist and journalist (1940-1992)
----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Parsons" <akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 11:08 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] the story of a proofer



Morning, all,
I'd like to tell you the story of a proofer. This proofer has been working with one submitter for the past year in making a series of books available to Bookshare. The idea behind the "Hold For' is that a submitter can work with a given proofer in a partnership in order to make sure that books are submitted in the best way possible. Ideally, the submitter is able to keep the original copy of the book so that the proofer can check any errors which occur.
Unfortunately, with this particular proofer, students, concerts, Christmas shopping and various other impediments have prevented her from completing the current book she has and starting on the remaining books in this series.
Sometimes ideals just can't be realized. However, one thing which is not being talked about at all, is the relationship between submitter and proofer. This, I feel, is a significant factor. If there is an active pair working together, time should not be a factor. I agree that it should be between the submitter and the proofer as to how long a proof may take. During the time the pair is working together, friendships may blossom. Other books may be comtemplated. Indeed, if the period of proofing is shortened unduly, you may find that proofers cannot keep up and they will become discouraged.
I suppose the fact that one may keep renewing books is good because it does indeed remind proofers that they must work diligently. However, I believe that a two week limit on 'hold for' books is too short. Optimum would be two months. After that, they should be removed. I would urge the Powers That Be to remember that proofers are volunteers. If we were not, one might expect faster work because that would be our job, but volunteers have to work as an avocation, not as a vocation.
Now, I'm off to Bookshare to download all the books that are on hold for me, so I can finish off the series I started over a year ago. 

Ann P.

--
Ann K. Parsons
Portal Tutoring
EMAIL:  akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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