[bksvol-discuss] Re: Something interesting
- From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:28:13 -0500
Hi Denese,
This is an interesting question. And you know the Bean Library, who has been
providing free digital books for years, smile, did a study and found that
actually the authors and publishers get more money and more attention, smile,
if their books are available as electronic text. The reason is a large one.
If I read a book, I am going to recommend it to others, buy it for Christmas
presents, and mention it to my colleagues and friends. Not to mention write
reviews of it on sites like Amazon. Amnd statistically according to Bean's
research the majority of people who use electronic texts follow this pattern.
I also look at the other things I "pay" for this privilage, mainly the work
time and equipment I have invested. If i had universal access I would be o.k.
with that, but I look at Bookshare as a library, and I also look at the price I
pay in the time I spend scanning, time the average person who goes to the
bookstores and the like doesn't have to spend. Not to mention the cost of the
scanning equipment i have purchased and maintained, and the time dedicated to
getting books ready for Bookshare.
Smile.
Not to split hairs, but... the used bookstores the author doesn't get anything
from, nor do they from the book swop sites, smile. Just a point of reference,
smile.
And actually most authors unless they are really good get a flat rate for the
book they publish. They might get royalities if the book proves to be a good
one, but for beginners it is a flat rate to sell the rights to a book. I know
at least in Boston the gowing rate for some kids books is $500 my brother was
looking into it. Depending on the contract the author signs, they might get
royalties, or they might not. Sometimes they just sell the rights to the book
to a particular publisher particularly if they are just starting out.
Shelley L. Rhodes, VRT
Guide dogs for the Blind Alumni Association
www.guidedogs.com
Reading a book is like rewriting it for yourself. You bring to a novel,
anything you read, all your experience of the world. You bring your history and
you read it in your own terms. -Angela Carter, novelist and journalist
(1940-1992)
----- Original Message -----
From: Denise Thompson
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 6:32 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Something interesting
Hi
At risk of beheading, I agree that reading print materials- books should be
available to everyone. However that we can read them virtually free is
questionable. I know we pay a membership fee to BKS but is it very nominal and
the authors and publishers are loosing money by allowing their books to be made
available to us. As much as I enjoy being able to read virtually unlimited
books a year, it doesn't really seem fair completely. I have some friends who
are on limited incomes and love to read, but they can't afford to read the
amount of books I read each year. They're limited to seeking out second hand
book stores or going places that have used book swaps, etc. And because they
also have disabilities it makes finding books harder for them because of the
travel involved. So my most magnanimous self says we should have to pay some
sort of nominal price for downloading books that goes back to the authors and
publishers like the sale of any book. The more selfish part of myself says lets
keep things the same. I suppose I can ease my conscience by thinking of bKS as
a library and I'm checking out books to read.
Denise
At 12:06 PM 12/11/2009, you wrote:
New Petition Seeks to Gain Support of Access to Books for All
A new petition has been launched which seeks to gain support of writers and
others for equal access to printed material. Some groups, including some book
publishers, oppose this idea claiming it will circumvent their copyrights of
the books. But others consider the ability to read the same books as everyone
else a fundamental right. The treaty will be discussed at the World
Intellectual Property Organization meeting in Geneva next week. Thanks to
@circulating on Twitter for sending this in. Via Boing Boing
----------------
"If you go without playing the trumpet for one day, no one knows, two days,
only you know, and more than three days without practicing, girl you better
look out, because everyone will know!"
Today, I find myself constantly saying those words, just to get myself
going, to not give up, and it works. Since I learned to play the trumpet at the
tender age of 10, I have spent so much passion and much diligence with that
instrument that I will not give up on it. Sometimes my instrument puts me into
awkward situations where I feel like they won't ever end, but the trumpet gives
me a lot of hope with the majestic, crystal-clear sound it brings to my ears.
----------------
Chela Robles
E-Mail: cdrobles693@xxxxxxxxx
MSNWindowsLive Messenger: cdrobles693@xxxxxxxxxxx
Skype: jazzytrumpet
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