I also live in California - southern California - and while I have good
things to say about the NLS program, as in my previous message, Jill's
message hit on a sore point with me. Down here at Braille Institute, I have
been waiting for a book that came out last summer. It often happens that
when I call them, many times I have to be put on a waiting list for a book
that is already officially part of the collection. I'm talking about books
that have been announced in TB Topics. I used to live in Pennsylvania, and
while it is inevitable that occasionally a book in high demand would be put
on reserve for me, the problem is much worse out here. It is true, that I
was at least a little spoiled by the fact that I lived within a five-minute
walk of my regional library, and knew everyone there on a first name basis,
and even talked to some of them about books of mutual interest. None of
that kind of interaction at Braille Institute Library. Also, even when I do
order books that are available, it can take more than a week for them to
arrive! I live in Pasadena, fourteen miles from the library. I often get
books from RFB&D faster than I get them from Braille Institute Library! I
have actually gotten around the waiting list on occasion by having a friend
of mine order a book from his regional library in another state and send
them to me. Believe it or not, they also generally arrive faster than books
from Braille Institute. It is hard going from a well-run library to - shall
we say - one of lesser quality. I realize, of course, that is not an NLS
issue, but a local one. but local libraries are the ones through which
people interact with the national service. If I had grown up in Southern
California, I suppose that having to be put on reserve on a regular basis,
or having to wait sometimes weeks for a book to come a dozen miles or so was
just normal. Perhaps it is for many people, and if it is, then Bookshare
would be a major improvement for them in terms of accessing books - assuming
they can get the equipment to read them, of course.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jill O'Connell" <jillocon@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 9:45 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: May 10 - almost 100 books added
Monica, Thank you for sharing your experience; it was enlightening. I happen to live in California and get my talking books as fast as i return one. Do you participate in any national organization of the blind in Georgia? It sounds to me like consumers in your state need to get together and demand to be treated like most of the rest of us in other states.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Monica Willyard" <plumlipstick@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 7:29 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: May 10 - almost 100 books added
Jill, I do recognize that the 2 services are different. However, since they both involve reading material for blind readers, I think comparison of services offered is fair and reasonable. The NLS program has provided many of us with wonderful books over the years, and I do not want to discount that in any way. While I agree with you that NLS produces excellent quality reading materials, I have felt a decided lack of engagement with NLS programs and staff. If you spend many hours constructing a beautiful, carved marble staircase that doesn't quite reach where climbers need to go, it doesn't mean you haven't made something nice. It does mean that people will start looking for another staircase to get where they're going though.
I am drawing the comparison between the services because I see a sharp contrast between the two services. I am listening to an NLS tape right now, and I enjoy it. However, I had to wait for 13 months to get this book. I was also told this week that even though digital books are coming in 2008, I will not be able to receive that service till early 2010 because of how the roll-out is going to happen in Georgia. That news is more than depressing for me. So as I see it, I can have lesser quality books right now, or I can wait for books that are perfectly recorded. I wish NLS continued success and happiness. I also hope we eclipse them in our scope and selection so that every blind person has a choice. They may elect to wait for NLS to record a title, and they will at least get to make that choice.
Monica Visit my blog at: http://plumlipstick.livejournal.com
At Thursday 5/11/2006 07:51 PM, you wrote:Bookshare certainly reflects the interest of its submitters but I for one have nothing but respect and admiration for the NLS staff who under financial constraints have produced excellent quality books. I don't envy them the job of having to choose among the thousands of books being published and I know that they try very hard to balance their selection according to the guidelines given them by the collection representatives selected throughout the country who meet with them every year. Reading is a great joy in my life and I take real pleasure in submitting books that I enjoy and think are worthwhile, but there are a lot of ooks on Bookshare that I would never consider reading and also a number of poor quality which isn't true of NLS books. These are very different services and in my opinion no effort should be made to compare them.
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