[bksvol-discuss] Re: Hopefully my last post on volunteers VS pq

  • From: "Jill O'Connell" <jillocon@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:58:16 -0700

I would also like to add my thanks, Lori. You expressed eloquently exactly the way I feel. My only real regret is that this has been the most enjoyable volunteer work I have ever done, but since there are still a lot of books in the collection that need improving, hopefully I can contribute in that way. In my lifetime I have certainly seen books at my fingertips go from famine to feast, and Bookshare deserves a lot of the credit. I'm sure none of us would want to go back to the way things were even ten years ago. Happy reading everyone! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lori Castner" <loralee.castner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 9:24 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Hopefully my last post on volunteers VS pq



I agree with Andy's point: Our job shouldn't be to find the most funky out
of date and most left behind books possible.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 have
contributed? 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 bookshare
has 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 pq



If 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
but



I
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.




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