[bksvol-discuss] Re: Adult Content
- From: aidee campa <aidee.campa@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2012 18:38:00 -0800
For BARD books and books downloaded from the NLS library, if you look
at a review of that book, it'll make a comment such as "violence" or
"strong language". I know it will probably take a long time, if it
ever comes under consideration, but couldn't bookshare put those kinds
of warnings? I mean, if someone were to do a quick search on a book,
couldn't they have that kind of "warning" appear in the information
that comes up? Just a thought.
I'd like to point out that sometimes in a series, some books are
marked as adult content and others aren't, even though they are from
the same series. This is odd to me, and I wonder if that's an example
of the filtering implementation going awry?
On 11/9/12, Cindy Rosenthal <grandcyn77@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hmmm. But what about our sensitive members who don't like to read books
> with profanity or explicit sex; should we, raher than label them AC, put
> some kind of warning somewhere? Does what we put in the Comments section
> get attached to the book fle? I'munder the impression that those comments
> are only for the book share administrators, e.g. like errors in
> punctuation and spelling are as they are in the print book.
>
> I think I have in the past put such "warnings" in the synopsis or
> somewhere but told it didn't belong there.
> Cindy
>
> On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 2:53 PM, Madeleine Linares
> <Madeleinel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone, ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> I thought it was about time for a refresher course in what we mean by
>> Adult Content (also known as “AC”). There has been some confusion
>> (off-list) and I’ve noticed it incorrectly marked in the Approval Queue.
>> *
>> ***
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Here is a note from our Collection Development Manager on our
>> definition:*
>> ***
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> “Our policy, developed in conjunction with our OSEP funders, is that
>> there
>> are certain kinds of content -- explicit depictions of sexual acts with
>> no
>> redeeming social value, as well as extreme and gratuitous violence --
>> will
>> require a minor to get an adult guardian's permission to access. As a
>> "content-neutral" collection, we will never exclude a title for any
>> potentially controversial or distasteful content, but we will tag some
>> content for adult (or minors with a guardian's permission) use only. The
>> idea is that parents can control the access their kids have to content
>> deemed potentially inappropriate -- but they don't have the right to
>> control or limit access to anybody else's kids.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> The "walking into a bookstore or library" test continues to be a good
>> one. Could a non-print-disabled kid walk into a good bookstore or public
>> library and get a copy of this book without an adult being involved? If
>> the answer is yes, a print-disabled kid should be able to do the same on
>> Bookshare. We are not interested in placing additional barriers to
>> access
>> for our members that their peers do not experience. This means we do
>> have
>> stuff available to members under 18 that has sex, and swearing, and
>> violence, and substance abuse in it, and that is okay and in keeping with
>> the generally recognized standards of "freedom to read" policy in this
>> country.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> We don't have a perfect implementation of this policy yet -- I see
>> evidence that we were a little more strait-laced in the early days (and
>> fix
>> it when I come across it), and our automated filtering from publisher
>> feeds
>> still needs some fine-tuning. When I'm trying to navigate something
>> particular "gray area-y" like the steamier of the romances coming in, I
>> ask
>> myself about the intent -- is the action (even if hot and heavy) designed
>> to move the characters towards relationship, or is the plot driven only
>> by
>> the need to get body parts intermingling again? It's the latter that's
>> clearly AC, while the former continues to be ambiguous. Author intent
>> is,
>> alas, pretty gray-area-y and subjective itself, but I think it can help
>> separate the sheep from the goats.”****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Adult content is confusing and clearly not black and white. Many romances
>> (such as a lot of the Harlequin ones), though certainly racy, should not
>> be
>> labeled as AC. A 16-year-old could walk into a book store and buy ones of
>> those books just as easily as a 38-year old, although his or her parents
>> might not approve and might consider the content inappropriate. Anyway,
>> just thought it couldn’t hurt to remind everyone!****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Feel free to contact me with questions, as always.****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Best, ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Madeleine Linares****
>>
>> Volunteer Coordinator****
>>
>> Bookshare, a Benetech Initiative****
>>
>> 650-644-3459****
>>
>> madeleinel@xxxxxxxxxxxx****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> Join us in celebrating our 10th
>> Anniversary!<http://blog.bookshare.org/2012/03/11/join-bookshares-worldwide-10th-anniversary-celebration/>
>> ****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>> [image: Title: Bookshare logo: Bringing Reading to Life for 10 Years]****
>>
>> ** **
>>
>
--
Regards,
Aidee
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