Honestly, is it that big a deal? If we spend our whole lives complaining about what sighted people have and we don't--well, we'd probably get more out of them by "googling them away." If you don't have time to type a few words into a search engine and look at what comes up and you like the way a title sounds, take a risk. What's life without a little risk, after all? Sure, it would be great if every book had a really good synopsis, but Bookshare *is* maintained by volunteers, and publishers, as I understand it, are not required by any law to submit a synopsis.
Just my two cents. Personally, I don't mind if everything isn't one hundred percent picture perfect; I just feel so blessed to have access to this many books, and to see so many added every day. I can definitely remember a time in my life when that wasn't true, when I couldn't read as much as I wanted simply because I didn't have the resources, when the quickest way to get a new book was to search the public libraries in my area for the one with the best audio section and then go there and have to ask a sighted person to read the titles and synopses to me--and that could be an all-afternoon ordeal and then I'd get through the book in a matter of a couple of days at most, and hours at least, and would have to wait a week or two before I could bring myself to ask to go back. That's frustrating. Bookshare, missing synopses and all, is one of the best things that's ever happened to me, and it has improved greatly even in the time that I've been a member. I just can't find it in my heart to complain, or agree with complaints, about anything this trivial when there's already such an amazing and terrific resource available and there is a way of finding out missing information or getting more if one wants it. If I really want to read something, or I think I might, I'm willing to take up an extra five or ten minutes of time to find out more. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:39 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
Good afternoon again, I believe we're all missing something here. Every time a sighted person wishes to obtain information about a particular book are they being forced to Google the title? I don't think so. Now should we put up with beingforced to doing so when the information exists which could be placed on thelisting page for busy members to obtain an idea of a book's content and purpose? Some of us are very busy and don't have time to Google our lives away; not when you have several Web clients jumping your gate concerningtheir site's content. If Bookshare.org and its members fail to address thisand other issues related to the content of its holdings perhaps a little competition would cause them to do something about it. Peter Donahue----- Original Message ----- From: "Elfqueen" <elfqueen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:48 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations Maybe there's a reason why they're restricted. If a book doesn't have asatisfactory synopsis, it's not difficult at all to google the title and getas much info as you could want on it.----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 1:46 PM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing AnnotationsGood afternoon Cindy and listers, The character limit can be raised to accommodate a longer scinopsis. Peter Donahue----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy Rosenthal" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:03 AM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations As I said in my post,the short synopsis is restricted to 250 *characters.* The synopses to which you refer, usually on the cover flap or the back cover of a book, are more than that and have to be edited. Plus, some books, especially paperbacks, and possibly the ebooks donatged by the publishers--I have no idea about them--have no such synopses. (the word is spelled s y n o p s i s in the singular and s y n o p s e s in the plural form, btw. smile.) The publishers, as I think Bob said, don't so anything but send the books, I gather in ebook form, to bookshare. Designated personel prepare them for bookshare form. My solution to avoid upsetting people would be not to add them to the collection until the synopses are added, and I think I suggested this to Carrie to be passed on, but I don't remember. The PQ books added yesterday or the day before did have short synopses. There is no excuse for volunteer-processed books not having short synopses, and I think they all do now. There is a place on the submission form for both long and short synopses, and people have been told not to write in the short synopses space "See long synopsis." Upon occasion I've gone to the long synopsis and edited it to fit the short synopsis and added it to my list that I mail out (I don't think you receive it but if you want to, let me know. Since only 6 books were added today (Tuesday) I'll post the list at the end of this and you can see how it differs from the Browse New Books list, from which it's taken ). On one occasion all I had to do was take the first couple of lines; I don't know why neither the scanner nor the validator didn't do that. Cindy Ro 6 English-Language books, added to the collection Dec. 9 All Books are downloadable in BRF and Daisy unless otherwise stated; May include (or not) Adult-rated books. THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE books only available to public K-12 schools and organizations in the United States for use with students with an IEP (NIMAC) Abbreviations Used: LJ= Library Journal;' SLJ=School Library Journal; PW=Publishers' Weekly; PD=Product Details--from Publisher; A=Amazon; BN=Barnes&Noble; K=Kirkus; BL = Booklist; CL=Children's Literature; CM=Child's Magazine; KL (KLIATT=bimonthly magazine, publishes reviews of paperback books, hardcover fiction for adolescents, audiobooks, and educational software recommended for libraries and classrooms serving young adults V (VOYA) ***My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams by Margaret A. Hogan (editor), C. James Taylor (editor) Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Nonfiction Synopsis: Letters that were sent by Abigail and John Adams during their courtship, marriage (separation when John Adams was in Europe) and when they were apart in the States. Touching history brought into life. Copyright Date: 2007 ***The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Nonfiction Synopsis: Not only a biography of Sally Hemings, who bore 7 children by Thomas Jefferson, this book details the extraordinary lives of her ancestors and descendants also. Winner of the National Book award. Copyright Date: 2008 ***A Country Christmas by Bonnie Lou Risby Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Chlildrens/adult fiction Synopsis: It's such a hard year in the Ozarks even Santa's broke. A tornado, illness, and being teased and cheated can't keep Francy and her large family down. They use what they have in surprising ways to make a beautiful Christmas. Ages 6-9 and all ages. Copyright Date: 1996 ***Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas, Mark Olshaker Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Nonfiction Synopsis: True stories of how some of the most notorious serial killers and rapist were tracked down. Learn how they think by understanding the way they think and reason. Copyright Date: 1995 ***The Promise by Chaim Potok Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Fiction Synopsis: The Promise is the sequel to and continues the story begun in The Chosen Copyright Date: 1969 ***Halo: The Cole Protocol by Tobias S. Buckell Quality: Excellent, almost no errors. Science fiction Synopsis: In the first desperate days of the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC enacted the Cole Protocol to safeguard Earth and its inner colonies from discovery by a merciless alien foe. Copyright Date: 2008 ***WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm --- Peter Donahue <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:Hello Cindy and listers, How many books have you read that contain a scinopsis or a brief annotation at the beginning. It's just a matter of a volunteer or publisher copying and pasting this information in to the validate along with the other data and it's done!! This whole business about this requirement being too time-consuming is nothing but first-class poppy cock if you asked me! And that also goes for Braille titles not being proofread before they're posted. My wife Mary over heard me writing this note and said, "Amen!!" That's to be expected from her since she's a Braille proofreader at the Education Service Center Region Twenty in San Antonio. If Bookshare.org wants someone to assist with proofreading their Braille titles they need only give Mary's boss a call. All the best. Peter Donahue----- Original Message ----- From: "Cindy Rosenthal" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 4:40 AM Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations The PQ books have been put on the list by bookshare staff--certain ones are assigned to this--and at a later time they will fill in the synopses. They aren't validated by anyone. For a while Mayrie and I were suppling short synopses but it is very time-consuming--not as easy as it sounds, Peter, because of the restriction of 250 characters. I was very relieved to learn that they would be supplied later and that I needn't bother doing them. I think I did write and suggest that maybe it would be better not to post them until the synopses were ready--but maybe I just thought about it. I did notice, though, that the PQ books added to the collection today all had short synopses, though not perfect ones--not really synopses but something that gave one an idea of what the book was about. Sometimes, when I know the book or have read about it, if I see a synopsis that is way off the mark, I've rewritten it for my list and notified Carrie in case they want to take what I wrote. As Bob said, anyone who had time can write one and send it to Allison to be added--we aren't allowed to just take what's posted on B&N or Amazon because that is copyrighted, but we can use what is on the back cover if it is up there. Cindy Ro The problem --- "Shelley L. Rhodes" <guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Hi Peter and Bonnie and All. > > The fact of the matter is that no one writes the > synopsis' for the publisher > quality books. For a while volunteers were mailing > synopsis's to Alice > hilliger and she was adding them, I believe she is > still doing this. So if > you see a book, do some research figure out what it > is, write a short and > long synopsis and send it to Bookshare they will add > it to the database so > the book has one. > > I know right now I don't have the time or energy to > devote to that project > with the other projects I am doing. have way to > much on my plate as it > stands, and can't do that too. > > > > > Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A., VRT > And Guinevere: Golden Lady Guide Dog > guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx > Guide Dogs for the Blind > Alumni Association > www.guidedogs.com > > Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, > fairness, consideration > and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of > eternal peace. -Dwight > D. Eisenhower, U.S. general and 34th president > (1890-1969) >> ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 6:37 PM > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Missing Annotations > > > > Hello everyone, > > > > For some time I have been greatly troubled by > the number of > > publisher-quality titles posted to the "Browse New > Books" area of the site > > with missing annotations or book summaries. Its > this brief scinopsis that > > often determines whether I feel a book is worth a > read or not. I've had > > previous communications with the folks at Benetek > concerning this matter > > and > > received a less than satisfactory answer. This > problem should be caught > > during the validation process and corrected before > a book is posted for > > membership access. For God sakes it doesn't take a > week to extract a book > > annotation and paste it in to the appropriate > validation field. If I'm > > going > > to pay a subscription to this service I expect to > have access that will > > enable me to choose whether to download and read a > particular book or not > > and I'm sure there are others of you who feel the > same way. > > > > When asked what particular titles were missing > a scinopsis I explained > > that there are way too many for me to list. For a > while an effort was made > > to include book annotations in the listings, but > the number of titles > > which > > don't include them is on the rise again including > a missing scinopsis to a > > book entitled, "Raising Hell" by Ronin Ro. > > > > I would again urge the folks at Benetech to > remedy this problem and > > would appreciate the battle joined to ensure that > this solution is put in > > place. It shouldn't be too much to ask a book > publisher to include an > > annotation when they send files for inclusion in > the collection. Now I'm > > done ranting. Here's hoping 2009 will bring with > it a solution to this > > problem and more ways for us to find information > about particular titles > > quickly and easily. > > > > Peter Donahue > > > > > > > > "Given a chance to dream it can be done > > The promise of tomorrow is real. > > Children of Spaceship Earth the future belongs to > us all." > > Flying for Me, > > John Denver > > > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email > to > > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > Subject line. To get a list > > of available commands, put the word 'help' by > itself in the subject line. > > > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to > > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the > Subject line. To get a list of available commands, > put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. > > WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AThttp://www.friendsofbookshare.org/wish_list/wish_list.htmwww.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/wish_list/wish_list.htm www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/ www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxPut the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
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