[bksvol-discuss] Re: Adult Content
- From: Cindy Rosenthal <grandcyn77@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 14:16:36 -0800
Apparently I didn't make myself clear. I'm a proofreader and want to know
how, if I shouldn't identify it as AC, I can best warn sensitive members
that the book I've checked in has violence or explicit sex or obscenity .In
the past I've put such a warning somewhere (synopsis? I can't remember)
but was told not to do that; and as I understand the Contents space is
only for info to the administrators, I don't know what to do.
Cindy
P.S. I used to be able to proof *anythng* but I must be getting old and
more sensitive myself A recent book I proofed disgusted me to the point
that I had to release it and a younger and less sensitive person than I
took it. smile.
On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 9:51 AM, Roger Loran Bailey
<rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>wrote:
> I will say this again. There is no way possible to know that you will not
> like a book until you read it. You might get an idea by reading reviews and
> listening to people discuss books, but you will not actually know until you
> try it. You should also not expect other people to filter your books for
> you. Their opinions of what you will or will not like may not be the same
> as your own opinions. For that reason I would suggest that books just be
> submitted in the same manner as any other book no matter what kind of
> language they might contain. If a proofreader turns out to not like it then
> that proofreader can just release it.
> On 11/9/2012 8:03 PM, Cindy Rosenthal 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]
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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