[bksvol-discuss] Re: OT Duplicating NLS Titles
- From: Barbara <barbarab65@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2007 15:48:15 -0700 (PDT)
I hope that NLS will continue because there are many people who are not
computer literate and have no intention of learning computer skills. Without
NLS, they would not be reading. Specifically, I know someone who is losing her
vision because of Macular Degeneration. When I explained to her how Bookshare
could change her life, her response was that she does not like using the
computer and does not like listening to books using synthetic speech. She says
that she does not want to change her life and that she is happy listening to
NSL books. She was a physical therapist and is an educated person who hates
computer technology. Another person that I know who has Dyslexia uses Kurzweil
3000 and hates the synthetic speech. She would rather listen to books on tape.
Therefore, we need both audio and electronic books since we are trying to reach
a diverse audience. Finally, many people have never heard of Bookshare and
don't have computers. However, they have heard of Talking
Books.
Often, I find that people with disabilities, not only those with vision ones,
who are highly intelligent and adaptable forget that most of the public only
has average intelligence and does not know or have all the technological and
adaptive resources that we have or know how to get these resources.
Furthermore, they don't care or don't want to adapt. Instead, they would rather
not read or stay at home and watch TV. Therefore, if we want to increase the
literacy for people with print disabilities, we need to use all available
sources and encourage them all to grow.
Personally, I love Bookshare but I have to say that I would rather listen to
classical literature read on tape than to hear it synthetically because it is
more enjoyable for me.
Lori Castner <loralee.castner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dear Jill,
I was very intrigued by your comments, especially that you were a NLS patron
from the inception of the Talking Book program. If you would like to share
some memories of that time, please feel free to contact me offlist at
loralee.castner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks.
Cat Lover Lori
----- Original Message -----
From: Jill O'Connell
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 10:07 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Duplicating NLS Titles
Please don't misunderstand; I have no problem with duplicating books, but I
do have a problem with opinion stated as fact. As you may know, NLS did not go
to CDs because they are already becoming obsolete; see information about flash
cards and the Victor Stream as mentioned by Ann Parsons. Many changes may be
taking place at NLS; let's hope they are all to the good. I agree that if this
topic is to be continued it should be preceded with OT. I am older than most of
you on this list, have been an NLS patron from the inception of the Talking
Book program and a braille user before then. As a result I have seen its
development over the years. I was also fortunate enough to have served on the
Collection committee for two years which perhaps has afforded me a better
picture of its workings than most users have had. I have nothing but praise for
Jim Fruchterman's vision and have every hope that it will continue to grow and
flourish but could point out some misjudgment in the
way memberships were awarded for bad scanning and bad validating. If NLS staff
is worried about job continuance, I wonder if this isn't largely because more
and more E books are becoming available, not because the program has been
mismanaged.
----- Original Message -----
From: maithe007
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 10:19 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Duplicating NLS Titles
Jill,
I have a friend that works for them and he says that their jobs are on the
line. I don't know if the reasons are because of bad management, less people
are reading, other technologies are taking over, but it is a fact that they are
all worried about their jobs.
I know that they were planning on transferring their books into a CD
format...don't know what happened to that. Either way, I do think it is a good
idea to have these books in all available forms. I sometimes like to read on
my computer and at other times, I prefer to listen to a book on tape. When I
scan, I listen to a book on tape. When I clean, I listen to these books on
tape. So, both technologies will hopefully continue to progress.
There is a major problem at NLS and we need to protect ourselves. We need to
scan all books available...just in case.
Maithe
----- Original Message -----
From: Jill O'Connell
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 12:55 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Duplicating NLS Titles
I think your number 4 statement is unfair and inaccurate.
----- Original Message -----
From: Monica Willyard
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 8:46 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Duplicating NLS Titles
Hi. I can think of 4 compelling reasons to scan books that are currently
available on cassette from NLS. In order of importance to me, they are:
1. NLS has said they're going to retire cassettes within a few years and do not
plan to convert most of those titles to digital format. So they will be
completely inaccessible in just a few years. 2013 is the year they're planning
to begin this process. Does anyone remember what happened when they retired the
great books on records? You still can't get over half of those older books
anywhere now.
2. Cassettes are bulky and break easily. They are not really a great medium for
books to begin with and are a hassle for people who like to read on the go. You
can't easily search them for information you want or need, and you can't make
bookmarks at your favorite passages while still being able to move around in
the book.
3. Our deaf/blind and some of our learning disabled membership can't use audio
and need material in Braille.
4. NLS has been grossly mismanaging their funding. Frankly, I think it's
possible that they will be shut down if they don't shape up. Then we'd end up
having to scan those books anyway, and we'd be reacting in a sort of panic. I'd
rather have books in both places so if we lose one, we still have the other and
aren't stranded.
Monica Willyard
Evan Reese wrote: I don't think that it is true that we frown on duplicate
books. Personally, I don't think it should matter. I'm validating two books now
that are part of the NLS collection, and very well recorded at that. There are
many here who, for one reason or another, such as being deaf-blind or hard of
hearing, can't access most of NLS's collection - since most of it is on tape.
So whether a book is available from NLS should not be a factor in deciding
whether to scan it for Bookshare. If it isn't in the collection, and it does
not violate the legalities, then it is fair game.
I also like Nero Wolfe, but when other commitments will allow me the time to
scan any is something I'll have to look at. One thing in their favor is that
most of them are not very long books, so they should be fairly quick scans.
Evan
----- Original Message ----- From: <james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 9:46 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Nero Wolf Was found 8 new Agatha Christie books!
Hi,
I know we frown on duplicate books and that NLS has a good deal of Nero
Wolf audio books, but I know of hardly any braille ones, which makes me
wonder how extensive our collection of Nero Wolf books is? That said, if
anyone ever wants to scan them let me know and I'll validate.
Thanks.
Jim
James D Homme,
Usability Engineering
Highmark Inc.
james.homme@xxxxxxxxxxxx
412-544-1810
"It's more important for me to start to do the right thing than it is to
wait until I think I
can do it just right."
To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to
bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of
available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to
bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of
available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
---------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.0/1049 - Release Date: 10/4/2007 8:59
AM
---------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.1/1051 - Release Date: 10/5/2007
12:27 PM
Barbara
Other related posts:
