[bksvol-discuss] Re: NLS vs. Bookshare
- From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 22:51:47 -0400
Dear Lora and Booksharian Friends,
It sounds as if I'm taking the easy way out telling all of you that I agree
with everything Lora said so eloquently. Lora, you put so much thought in your
explanation of why braille readers, in particular, combine the advantages of
NLS and Bookshare to enjoy the widest range of diverse, quality braille
reading. I agree with you on every point and can't possibly express how we
combine the strengths of both Braille book providers to avail ourselves of the
best braille reading opportunities of our lives.
I read NLS paper braille or web braille with confidence that it will be
flawless, and turn to bookshare to satisfy my heart's desires for more
particular but less mainstream interests. Like you, Lora, I am frustrated
reading books with less than excellent accuracy, though I admit that never say
never applies in this case.
A few days ago I needed a jolt of reassurance that positive attitudes and
generous spirits are plentiful so I rashly downloaded a copy of Chicken Soup
for the Soul Volume 2 despite the warning that the quality was only good. As I
read the preliminaries liberally spattered with scannos and junk characters, I
berated myself for starting a book with the unsatisfactory good rating in the
first place. Then my better nature prevailed and I read the first story and, it
was truly excellent. And so were the second, third, fourth and fifth stories!
Apparently the font changes, fancy formatting and italics in the title pages,
contents, etc, confounded the scanning equipment, but the once the stories
began, the scanner, validator, or both had the material well in hand. The
ratings don't always reflect the book's quality and oh my how I've digressed.
I've been keeping a silly kind of pact with myself. At any given time, I'm
reading a braille book each from NLS, Bookshare and the Wisconsin Volunteer
Braillists. I've also got an NLS recording on my talking book, an unabridged
pro recording of a book from my local library in progress on my regular tape
player and A bookshare html book in progress on my computer read by Jaws. At
the same time, I'm carefully reading books I'm validating for Bookshare, at
least one hard book and one easy book going at the same time. I'm reading books
popular with the mainstream and quirky B list mysteries or my beloved books
about Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and Tolkien. With my personal mix of
Bookshare, NLS and other sources,I'm in book-lover's heaven on earth.
Back to you, Lora, I've gushed and meandered, but you summed up my thoughts
enthusiastically and at the same time in an orderly way. I truly found your
post to be satisfying and a pleasure to read.
Always with Love
Lissi who pulled an all nighter last night so is too busy to proofread this
post.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lora
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 7:26 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: NLS vs. Bookshare
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
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