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."
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