[bksvol-discuss] Re: NLS vs. Bookshare
- From: "Lora" <loravara@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 05:26:46 -0600
Hi Jamie,
There have been many wonderful responses to your question, but I can't help
but add my own.
First, I use both Web Braille (an NLS service for providing flawless copies
of books in Braille) and Bookshare. I wouldn't give up either.
The first advantage of Bookshare for me is Braille! Every book on Bookshare
is available in Braille. You get two choices: a DAISY copy that you can
listen to, or a BRF file that you can put in your notetaker. I "curl up"
with my Pacmate and read books in Braille. I far prefer to read books in
Braille. I read quickly, and my comprehension is much higher than when I
listen to a book on cassette. When listening, I am more easily distracted.
NLS, on the other hand, only produces about 600 books a year in Braille.
Most of their efforts for new books are directed to having them recorded on
cassette. For a devoted Braille reader, this means lots of new books in a
format I'm not fond of.
Secondly is the issue of personal choice. If I want a book on alternative
religion, or books of an adult nature, or books on role-playing games, or
books on cooking Armenian food, or books on bird watching, I can scan and
submit them, or find a willing volunteer to help me do so. I have a choice
on what goes into the Bookshare collection. With NLS, I never have a
choice. Since many of my interests are off the wall, I'd never find books
at NLS to satisfy them.
third is the immediacy of it all. So I noticed that the newest book in the
Dresden Files series was added to the collection last night. I downloaded
it, added it to my Pacmate, and now I can read it whenever I'm ready: on
the bus, while waiting for an appointment, wherever I have downtime. Beyond
that, immediacy also means that if I want a recently published book added to
the collection, I can buy it like everyone else, on the day it is released,
scan it, and submit it, and it's added. I get very frustrated by the delays
in getting the next book in a series from NLS. And NLS has countless series
that aren't complete. For instance, you may have books 1 and 3, but not 2
or 4. If I read a series, I want to read them in order.
I can't really speak to cost of membership. At this point, $50 is something
I can afford every year. In the past, when I couldn't have afforded it all
at once, I would have saved up for it, because I would have felt that it was
worth it.
The average paperback seems to go for about $7 new. So the average sighted
person would be able to buy 7 books in a year with the $50 we spend on
Bookshare membership. And we have access to far more than that: 1200 books
a year with the normal download limits, I believe. That's a little over 4
cents a book, if my math is right.
I grew up with NLS, and remember countless hours listening to books on
records, then cassettes. NLS will always hold a special place in my heart,
for they gave me a love of reading. Bookshare, however, meets my needs as
we head into the future. With NLS' government budget limitations, and the
fact that it is not a member-driven collection, it cannot compete for me.
To be fair, I do have one frustration with Bookshare. Books vary greatly in
quality. I only download books rated Excellent, because every mistake is
immediately apparent in Braille, and it's not as fun to read books when I'm
mentally grumbling about the errors. Nonetheless, almost every book rated
Excellent that I've downloaded has been a pleasure to read.
Sorry, I didn't mean to ramble this much, but Bookshare brings it out in me.
Lora
_____
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jamie Yates
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 7:41 AM
To: Bookshare Volunteers
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] NLS vs. Bookshare
My friend sent this to me and asked me to ask opinions of the Bookshare
volunteers. You can email me privately if you wish offlist at
jamieyates@xxxxxxxxxxx
My feeling is that for $50 a year for pretty much unlimited books, Bookshare
does a very valuable service. I don't know and understand completely how NLS
works but from helping her with some problems I spent a long time on hold
with the Cleveland library trying to sort out her NLS account (she doesn't
have a Braille tty set up right now) and they were very helpful but it takes
time to get a physical book in the mail. With Bookshare the access is
instant. As a sighted person, I'm almost jealous! I have to drive 10 miles
to the library to get the books I want. and then I can only keep them for 3
weeks. So I think Bookshare is pretty great and I tell people about it all
of the time.
Anyway here is what she is asking:
Jamie,
This is from on of my DB friends. I thought you could share with the
Bookshare
Volunteer list and send me any good things they have to say. (and your
feelings
too)
a debate going on about Bookshare and National
Library Service which should be providing braille readers with ANY braille
book
they wish to read free of charge. One member said she knew of others who
could
not afford to pay the $50 annual fee for Bookshare, and neither could she.
Another said that she'd like to be able to curl up in a chair and read a
brailled book. She's not sure how to download a book and convert it into
braille.
I don't know anything about how to do this. I was wondering if you could
give your view on Bookshare vs NLS and what the advantages or disadvantages
are.
Why isn't the NLS doing what Bookshare is doing?
Jamie in Michigan
Currently reading: Ceremony in Death - J.D. Robb
<http://www.kqzyfj.com/email-1683725-10394306>
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