[bksvol-discuss] Re: New 3 hold maximum in check out queue
- From: "Sandi Ryan" <sjryan2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:49:06 -0500
Hi Laura and All,
One of your comments leads me to respond to you. You said that people who
start volunteering together continue to work together. This is simply not
true. I started to volunteer a year ago, and like you, I have years of editing
and proofing and scanning experience, but I was new to Bookshare. At the time
new volunteers were announced to the list, so we knew who was new, and I could
have worked with any of them. At the time there were fewer than 100 books on
the checkout list, and some of them seemed daunting to me as a first proofing
task. Also, at the time there was a training program for proofers, and one was
not allowed to proofread a real book until one had completed a test book, it
had been read by staff, and your proofing was approved. Back then, that
process took three or four months, and by the time I was approved, two proofers
I did not know then had encouraged me to scan, and had provided me books to
scan for them. They provided great pointers for improving my work, they had
work to do, and I got my feet wet.
I still work with these two proofers. They have become friends, and I know
they will deal with some issues of scanning that others might miss.
But this year I have also worked with three other proofers who wanted certain
books to proof, and I offered to scan them. This is not an exclusive clique.
The two proofers I mentioned first do not work together and have some differing
views about books and quality. But I can work with both of them because they
are wonderful people. The other three I've worked with are also wonderful, and
they've done an excellent job of proofing my work. I am supposed to be working
with a new proofer, but have not received her books yet.
I think your belief that we find and stick with one or two people and are not
willing to expand is incorrect. I know it is in my case. But what keeps me
working with these proofers, as I said two months ago when I recommended each
volunteer have a profile (thanks for bringing that up again, Ann, though you
didn't like the idea when I suggested it), is that they are eager to proof,
they participate in searching for books they are interested in proofing, and
they stay in contact with me. As a scanner, I am quite busy. As a proofer
without enough books on the list to keep you busy, you could help a lot by
finding books that are not in the collection that you'd like to read. You
don't have to buy them--I can find them usually through interlibrary loan,
which costs $1 per book--but it's my little extra contribution--and we can work
together. I just don't have time to scan books like a wild woman and also be
responsible for feeding books to people who aren't interested enough to help
locate books.
Thanks for stating what you believe. I hope my explanation furthers the cause
of getting volunteers who want to proof interested enough to search for books
and expand their volunteering in that way.
Sandi
----- Original Message -----
From: Laura Shannon
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2012 10:44 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: New 3 hold maximum in check out queue
Ann,
However, you have no idea of the talents of any new volunteers. As I said,
proofing is something I've gotten paid to do, even though it is somewhat
different in nature, not that much. To deem some "expert" simply based on the
fact of length of service and/or a few people's perception could indeed be
perceived as insulting.
The fact is that those who came on board together, or have been here for
awhile together, just have a familiarity with each other. As Tracy and I
stated, we've both come to the list requesting books, and received little
response. That is because people have their little hubs they are comfortable
working within. But to suggest that new volunteers are as a whole not as good
at what they are doing is simply not always going to be the case.
No one is trying to demean the long term volunteers nor the work that they
do. It is not supposed to be about us but about finding the most efficient way
to get the books into the collection as quickly as possible with quality. If
someone has multiple holds that are sitting there for months, how is that
really helping? Isn't it better to free up some of these holds in order to move
more books into the collection more efficiently, making them available to all?
As for the issue of quality that everyone says the new volunteers lack, every
book is checked over before being added to the collection. I'm sure that the
Volunteer Coordinator would have an idea if a proofer was not living up to
standards when proofing books.
Regards,
Laura
On Thu, Jul 26, 2012 at 11:29 AM, Roger Loran Bailey <rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>
wrote:
This is not particularly either here nor there, but I just wanted to make
this comment. When I used the word clique to characterize the impression that
all the holds on the checkout list give I did not really expect that it would
be well received. I thought it might even cause some hostile reactions. I am
glad that I am not the only one who gets that impression of cliquishness though.
On 7/26/2012 9:04 AM, Tracy Carcione wrote:
I agree with everything Reggie said.
And expecting volunteers to wade through all the traffic on this list just
to find a book--well, that's just not going to happen. Many times I've
been tempted to unsubscribe, just to cut down on my inbox.
And I enjoy playing the field. I've gotten many books I might not have
thought of, and learned from them. I enjoy trying new things. But the
leftover Christian stuff on the held Q is just too far outside my
interests.
I've just re-made a partnership with a person who enjoys scanning, but
gave up when all the PQ books came in. We'll be working on an author we
both enjoy. When we're done with him, I expect my partner will disappear
back into the woods and I'll go back to the depressing list of hold fors.
I still think cutting down on the hold fors is a good idea. Every
community seems to develop cliques if folks aren't careful, and Bookshare
is no exception.
Tracy
Only problem with what you are telling Tracy is the same as for me. I
had
to beg for a book on the list, and it was Mary that got it for me and
one
other person. All the scanners are "attached" to their proofers. I
have
often asked for a hold to be put on especially books on dogs, and I have
never received a reply nor a hold. Also, not every volunteer can wade
through the traffic on this list just to get to know the people. Not
only
that, but I have often felt the clique feeling here, though not towards
me
in particular. Lets not demand that all volunteers be on this list! Bad
idea just to find a scanner which they may not find. (smiles) My
opinion,
of course.
Reggie
-----Original Message-----
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ann Parsons
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 9:54 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: New 3 hold maximum in check out queue
Hi all,
Tracy, have you made an effort to get to know folks here? Have you let
anyone know the kinds of books you're interested in proofing? Have you
put out an announcement on the list as to what you'd like to proof? A
scanner cannot know all proofers, and may not know that you're
interested in proofing a given type of book.
Maybe what we need is to have volunteers write blurbs or fill out forms
where they say what types of books they like. Just a thought.
Ann P.
--
Ann K. Parsons
Portal Tutoring
EMAIL: akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx
web site: http://www.portaltutoring.info
Skype: Putertutor
"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost."
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