I agree with Andy's point: Our job shouldn't be to find the most funky out of date and most left behind books possible. It should be to find a book we think someone else would want to read and send it along.
I agree because when I have submitted books, I have submitted those that I have enjoyed reading.
And I agree with Susan's point: And what about those many picture descriptions our
sighted volunteers havecontributed? Those are discarded, just as the book is. Somehow, this doesn't seem quite right. I agree because those wonderful and helpful descriptions will be lost forever, and they have provided information that really benefits a blind reader.
and I agree with Denise's summary: I have no interest in scanning for the sake of it. If booksharehas grown beyond us isn't that really the way it should be? After all we want the time to come when all publishers will automatically submit their books for electronic conversion. It's difficult when in a way we're now getting what we've hoped for and what many of us have fought for, but we may have to celebrate our accomplishments, keep fine tuning and take up another cause of our choice. Downinloading and listening to books as we go. How many people get to say they worked themselves out of a job
in their lifetime.For me the issue is what I can come to peace with. I'm not interested in scanning or proofreading a book that is going to disappear from the collection in several months. My time is too valuable for that. I'm not interested in scanning or proofreading books that have no interest for me personally simply because they are published by obscure presses. While I understand the argument that it is just wonderful to see Bookshare's collection grow and that the availability of books is the most important thing, this premise is very different from the original mission of Bookshare. So Bookshare has grown and changed. For me, all of the above means that I see the end of my time as a volunteer for Bookshare; I thought that day would be years away, but it in fact will be months away unless Scott throws me off the list for stating my view. I will need to find another way to fill the role I have valued--contributing interesting books to this organization by scanning and proofing--booksharing! I just can't come to peace about doing work that may become obsolete within several months or struggling to find obscure books that will remain. The good thing is that leaving Bookshare in the near future or limiting my volunteer participation to an occasional book will give me more time to write--a true goal of mine. And I do see the other side of things--from a member's perspective. I am reading a series of books "Sisters of the Quilt" by Cindy Woodsmall. NLS has the first book, which I just completed, and the third book, but not the second book. Luckily, I found the second book on Bookshare; it is a PQ book with no page numbers or page breaks--but I don't need those to enjoy the book and I am delighted it is there. So, I expect to finish prooffing my current book and three others and then to take a break from or to drastically limit my volunteer participation with Bookshare because these are books I agreed to proofread. I will let Scott know. For most of you, this wonderful increase in books in Bookshare is a joy; for me losing or greatly limiting a volunteer opportunity I have loved and valued is sad, but ultimately I don't want to feel angry and bitter about my work being wasted.
Lori C.!----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Lumpkin" <llumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 7:46 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Hopefully my last post on volunteers VS pq
Thanks roger, I think you've stated the current state of things very well. I'll probably not be submitting many more books to the collection. If someone wants to send me a book they feel is not going to be preempted by PQ or outsourcers, they can send it to me or point me to it. I loved submitting to the site but don't find myself fitting in with the place volunteers seem to be put in now. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 9:39 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Hopefully my last post on volunteers VS pq As I have mentioned before, what with outsourcers and publisher submissions the volunteer contributed books in the collection is now a small minority and shrinking. That does not mean, though, that there is no role for volunteers at all anymore. It is just necessary to shift niches. That is, again, long out of print books, small presses, vanity presses and the most obscure books that you can find. _ _ _ "Socialism can be built only by free men and women working together to lay the foundations for a new society and transforming themselves in the process." - Ernesto "Che" Guevara The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com Granma International: http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Lumpkin" <llumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 10:16 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Hopefully my last post on volunteers VS pqIf bookshare values the scanning and proofing of books by volunteers. Tell us how? In what way? If we are to scan and proof books for the collection, which books? Someone sends me a box of books to add to the collection butI am decidedly NOT going to scan them only to find that my scanning and possibly the proofing of my wife who spends sometimes days on a book reading it from cover to cover will be dumped in the bit bucket because of a PQ submission which is often inferior to our efforts. I'm sorry, but the answers provided by bookshare staff concerning this issue have not been satisfactory. The solution we are being offered is, "well, go ahead and scan and proof away and good luck." As you can tell, I am decidedly not happy.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-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 bksvol-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 bksvol-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.
