[bksvol-discuss] Re: OT: Euros (was Re: Re: [bksvol-discuss]Artical about Bookshare)
- From: "Evan Reese" <mentat1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 14:10:54 -0700
Okay, I guess it has something to do with the fact that this article was in
UNIcode. When I replied to it, I got a question from my OE asking about
character something or other. Apparently, that's what JAWS was confused about.
----- Original Message -----
From: Evan Reese
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2006 1:58 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] OT: Euros (was Re: Re: [bksvol-discuss]Artical
about Bookshare)
Is anybody else who has JAWS hearing Euros where hyphens would normally be in
this article? Is there some file translation problem with whatever she used to
write it? Or what else might be causing this?
Just curious.
----- Original Message -----
From: Anastasia Saridakis
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2006 8:46 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: [bksvol-discuss]Artical about Bookshare
Here is my artical. I wrote this in hopes that more people would join or at
least take a lookat the site. Enjoy
BOOKSHARE: A LIBRARY AT YOUR FINGERTIPSby Anastasia Saridakis
(Editor's Note: To check this library out for yourself, visit
www.bookshare.org.) Imagine hearing a sighted friend comment on a
wonderful book he/she read. Imagine being able to gain access to that book the
same day from the comfort of your own home. A decade ago that would have been
impossible for people in the blind community, but not any more. On
Feb. 21, 2002, one web site decided to make that dream a reality. Benetech is
sponsoring Bookshare.org, a web site where a member with a print disability can
download anentire book in seconds. Bookshare currently has more than 4,000
members and more than 29,000 books in 33 different categories. As a result of a
partnership with the National Federation of the Blind, this diverse library
contains newspapers and magazines from all over the United States. In addition
to its material in English, Bookshare.org contains material in other languages,
including more than 1,000 books in Spanish. More books are approved every day.
The Bookshare database reflects the interests of its members and
volunteers.Bookshare has a section of books recommended by teachers for
students, so when a student needs a book for school, he/she can find it more
quickly. Bookshare.org currently highlights New York best sellers on its home
page. The site contains the entire Harry Potter series, including the Spanish
translations. The latest book in the series, "Harry Potter and the
HalfÃââBlood Prince," was available on Bookshare the same day as it was
available in print to the public. A book goes
through a threeÃââstep process before it can be on the site. First, a
personscans, edits, and submits a book. This can take anywhere from an hour to
several weeks, depending on many factors. Some of these factors include access
to a computer, access to the book, the quality of the scan, and of course,
time. Then, a validator picks the book up from the site, proofreads it and
recommends it for approval. Finally, the book is approved by a Bookshare.org
staff member who makes a final decision about the book. In general,
it is illegal to scan and share copies of books. However, there is an exception
in the United States Copyright Law. It states in part "... it is not an
infringement of copyright for an authorized entity to reproduce or to
distribute copies ... of a previously published, nonÃââdramatic literary
work if such copies ... are reproduced or distributed in
specialized formats exclusively for use by blind or other persons with
disabilities." Bookshare volunteers can submit books in one of five
formats including Arkenstone,Kurzweil, Microsoft Word documents, Wynn and rich
text format. Arkenstone is a format that is only accessible to a user who has
Open Book. Likewise, Kurzweil is a file format that can only be accessed with
that software program. Bookshare is encouraging all its volunteers to submit
their books in rich text format, which is accessible to more members than any
other format. Once the book is downloaded, the talking software on the
individual's computer helps make the print audible. If the user does not have
such a program, he/she can download Humanware's Victor Reader software from
Bookshare. A member or visitor can search the entire database by
using the search function. A search can be
done by title, subject or author. One can also search within a category. For
example, if someone were searching for a book on Helen Keller, he/she could do
a general search or search the disabilities category, which would cut down on
time. Once the book is found, a page is displayed with the title, author, ISBN,
copyright name and year, length, quality (excellent, good, or fair), and two
synopses. One synopsis is 250 characters or less. The other is 500 words or
less. This helps the user know if he/she has the right book before downloading
it. Once the useris sure he/she has the right book, he/she can download it
from the web site. Bookshare.org is different from other
organizations that offer reading material for the blind in many ways. First,
it costs money. It costs $75 the first year and $50 each additional year for
the service. A volunteer can work off this
cost by submitting or editing books. Each submitted book is worth $2.50
credit toward membership. If one wants credit toward a subscription but does
not have access to a scanner, he/she can validate a book for a 50-cent credit.
Validators are essential for Bookshare to run. These dedicated readers take
books that were submitted, proofread them, and categorize them so they appear
on Bookshare in theright place. A person can become a member by
filling out a short online form and submitting a proof of disability to the
site either proving that they are a member of the National Library Service
(NLS) or getting a printable form filled out and signed by his/her eye doctor.
Bookshare has a small staff and relies on its active volunteer community to
grow the collection. If a member can get a volunteer to scan the book,
Bookshare will have it on the site for the whole
community. Bookshare has a wish list for this type of situation. Members need
to keep in mind that there is no guarantee a book they ask for will be scanned,
however. Bookshare also offers another unique feature for braille
users. Any book in excellent or good quality can be bought in braille from the
Braille Institute of America thanks to a partnership between the two
organizations. Books can be purchased for 8 cents per braille page for
unformatted and 36 cents for formatted braille. Membership is not necessary for
purchase of braille books. I enjoy scanning books people request for
two reasons. First, I know the book I submit will be read by a member who
either wants it or needs it. Some people who use Bookshare have the equipment
to scan books, but don't have the time. I feel fortunate that I have the time
and the resources to submit books for others. I scan
children's books often because they are fun to read, and parents, teachers and
children can benefit from them. I also describe pictures in every children's
book so the reader won't miss out on any visual information in the print copy.
I learn a lot by scanning books on different topics, too. A friend
asked me to scan a book for her on Buddhism. If she didn't ask, that would not
have been a book I would have scanned. I learned a lot about the religion and I
thanked my friend as much as she thanked me. Bookshare.org is a
wonderfully diverse library that has affected the lives of its members in many
ways. The size and scope of this library reflects the needs and interests of
its members and volunteers. The site allows members to gain access to
information in a quick and easy way that was unheard of 10 years ago.
Bookshare.org has a growing collection of
diverse reading material with no end in sight.
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