[bookshare-discuss] Re: How Many NLS Members? (was) Re: Bad scan Wheel of Time 3

  • From: "Kellie Hartmann" <hart0421@xxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006 13:16:05 -0600

Hi Evan,
One thing to keep in mind is that there are a fairly large number of
Bookshare members with hearing impairments who either have difficulty with
audio books or can't use them at all. Also, I think that audio and
electronic formats are totally different when it comes to what circumstances
they're best for. For example, if I need to read something and remember
details from it later, I really do better if I can read it in braille. If I
need to know how to spell words or names in a book, I also need to see them
in braille. I realize that these factors are probably not as important in
the case of a fantasy novel as they might be in the case of a nonfiction
book, but still I think having the flexibility to choose between audio and
electronic formats is wonderful and important. Still, if you would rather
scan books that aren't available anywhere else, you're doing the
print-disabled community a big favor in making books available in at least
one format, which is definitely better than not having it available at all.
I wouldn't scan a book that was already available through web braille,
although there are people who cannot easily take advantage of that format
and really need the book to be in Daisy format for best results. There is
definitely an element of personal preference when we choose what to scan.
There are people who deliberately choose to scan things they feel would
benefit the collection even if they themselves are not particularly
interested in the books they're scanning. But most of the time, most of us
would choose to scan books we are personally interested in reading. This
arguably selfish preference usually does benefit the collection though,
because it's much easier to read your submissions through and correct errors
before submitting if you really want to read the book and are interested in
it. Of course proofreading isn't a Bookshare requirement, but it's obvious
that proofreading is the best way to get an error-free Bookshare book.

Kellie

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