[bksvol-discuss] Re: Image Descriptions in Children's Books
- From: Scott Rains <scottr@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 13:04:54 -0700
Lissi,
My understanding based on statements from senior staff at Bookshare is that
image description is accepted by our publisher partners. My understanding from
engineers and other staff is that insertion of those descriptions is a
bottleneck.
In volunteer submissions it is just an extra step in the normal flow. In the
case of PQ books it is a step that is not designed into the flow and thus would
be a major engineering effort. Given the volume of PQ books I feel safe in
guessing that we will not have capacity for anything like this until the
DIAGRAM project does extensive study.
Scott Rains
Benetech Fellow, Bookshare Volunteer Department
________________________________________
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Estelnalissi [airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 12:37 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Image Descriptions in Children's Books
Dear Scott,
When I check in a book in which I've described the pictures, I mention it in
the short synopsis hoping browsers will be attracted to the book seeing that
feature as a plus. I write either, Pictures described, or, some pictures are
described.
Are you suggesting that I mention in the comments something like, editing of
descriptions would be appreciated, or (volunteer's name) has assisted in the
editing and development of picture descriptions.?
I do skip pictures which show no more than has been covered in the text as
suggested in the Bookshare workshop. I occasionally and reluctantly skip a
picture I can't for the life of me figure out.
I thought my situation might introduce another area where blind readers can
make an important contribution though there's nothing in the system at this
time to recognize it. Since the descriptions are mostly for the benefit of
blind readers, I want to know if mine are constructive or distressingly
unimaginable to them. For example, some sighted describers concentrate on
reporting the color of everything. A blind advisor might suggest they
concentrate more on shapes objects and actions.
I have no axe to grind, I'm just suggesting possibilities for us to throw
around.
Your comment that publishers will allow insertion of picture description has
me dancing on the ceiling. I thought that permission might be years in
coming! Will they allow insertion of page numbers and breaks, too?
Always with love,
Lissi
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott Rains" <scottr@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 3:13 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Image Descriptions in Children's Books
> Lissi,
>
> What I am taking from your helpful post is that we can use a new
> quality-check step when image description is involved. I also appreciate
> that you are making explicit for planning purposes how the processing flow
> changes between blind, sighted, and partially sighted scanners.
>
> I do not have a solution except to recommend noting image descriptions in
> comments with a submission so I will circulate your note among staff.
>
> Scott Rains
> Benetech Fellow, Bookshare Volunteer Department
> ________________________________________
> From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Estelnalissi
> [airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 11:48 AM
> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Image Descriptions in Children's Books
>
> Dear Scott and Booksharian Friends,
>
> Regarding the thread on picture description.
>
> Though my low vision precludes me from describing the pictures in some
> books, I am able to interpret pictures in others well enough to write
> descriptions. Naturally I'm composing these descriptions myself in books I
> proofread. I do my best to edit my original descriptions, but like most
> writers of original material, I tend to overlook some of my own errors and
> would benefit greatly from having Booksharians proof and edit my original
> text.
>
> The Lottie Project is the book for middle school aged children I'm
> currently
> describing. I would give anything for someone to volunteer to go over my
> descriptions to catch grammatical errors I make, and to point out
> descriptions which are unclear, etc. This is a function blind readers with
> good writing skills would be particularly equipped to perform. They would
> be
> in a position to advise me if my descriptions clarify or confuse.
>
> Describing pictures is a slow process for me. First, It is painstaking for
> me to visually study a picture and identify details not already described
> in
> the text that I can describe. Then I write and rewrite the description
> trying to be clear and not too wordy. Then I reread the text making sure
> nothing in my description contradicts it. Of course I spell check. Last,
> when I've finished proofing the book, I go over the descriptions once more
> to catch any mistakes I missed on the first go-round.
>
> As examples, Here are some descriptions I wrote this afternoon. I haven't
> gone over them with a fine tooth comb so you can see the raw material they
> are. I call them drawings instead of illustrations or pictures because
> they
> are meant by the author to be drawings of the main character she makes as
> she tells her story in first person. In children's For most children's
> books
> I write picture, for adults I write illustration and when appropriate I
> write photograph, graph, chart, map, etc. I'm in the second half of the
> book. All characters whose names I use have been introduced early on and
> the
> reader is very familiar with them. I don't name individuals until the
> author
> does so.
>
> *
>
> [Drawing of Lottie with Angela on her left and Lisa on her right. Lottie
> is
> the only one frowning. She's the tallest and is wearing a flowered top, a
> jacket, knee socks and a short, straight skirt. Angela is black, is
> wearing
> jeans, a T-shirt and short jacket. Her hands are in her jeans pockets.
> Lisa,
> the shortest girl has short, straight, blonde hair that curls up at the
> ends. Her skirt is short, straight and dotted with flowers. over her dark
> T-shirt she has on a long open jacket. Her hands are in her jacket
> pockets.
> She's wearing nylons.]
>
>
>
> *
>
> [Drawing of Charlie and Jo frowning as they stand at the table. Jo is
> clutching her wrist. The bowl of eggs is on the table with the masher
> beside
> it.]
>
> [Drawing of everyone in the car. Mark is driving and Jo is looking at him.
> In the back seat, Charlie is frowning and Robin is holding Birdie.]
>
> In this case there were two drawing on one page
>
> **
>
> [Drawing of everyone in a rectangle shaped car on the ride. It has a top
> with zig-zag trim. The side is decorated with a pattern of a flower, a
> leaf,
> a flower, a leaf, etc. in a straight row. Below the car are the treetops.
> Charlie is frowning, holding her head. The adults look worried. Robin is
> clutching the side of the cart. He's just tall enough to look over the
> side.
> His mouth is wide open. The jagged edged word bubble over Robin's head
> says,
> AAAAAH!.]
>
> *
>
> [Drawing of robin sitting in a car with a smiling face on the front. He is
> holding on tight and his face looks frozen in worry. His mouth is a short,
> straight line.]
>
>
>
> Often our sighted and partially sighted volunteers scan books and add the
> descriptions which are then corrected when necessary by proofers.
>
>
>
> I am a proofer so currently nobody sees my descriptions until they are in
> the collection when it's too late to fix them.
>
>
>
> Are there any thoughts from volunteers or staff on this?
>
>
>
> I'm willing to continue working as I am. It's just that I worry that I may
> be overlooking mistakes in my own writing, or confusing readers with some
> of
> my descriptions.
>
>
>
> Always with love,
>
>
>
> Lissi
>
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