[bksvol-discuss] Re: The job of a proofreader is...

  • From: Valerie Maples <vlmaples@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:30:49 -0700 (PDT)

While that is true, Roger, many of us still do it to make it easier to check 
when proofreading book in hand.  Also, it is my experience you are less likely 
to miss a page being numbered, and more likely to number pre-matter so that the 
numbers don't get re-numbered and no longer match table of contents.

However, you are right; it is not required, just sometimes can make the 
proofreader's job easier.  As I work with Sandi a lot, I am very grateful for 
that helpful touch.
 Valerie


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________________________________
From: Roger Loran Bailey <rogerbailey81@xxxxxxx>
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, April 20, 2012 10:54:13 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: The job of a proofreader is...

Let me point out that one of your tasks need not be done. You need not move the 
page numbers to the top. Just be sure to leave a blank line at the top of the 
page. The Bookshare automatic tools will take care of moving the page numbers 
to 
the top when the proofread book is submitted.

On 4/20/2012 10:46 AM, Sandi Ryan wrote:
> Hi Ann and All,
> 
> I agree with you about the duties of a proofreader but, as a scanner, I'd 
> like 
>to add my two cents about scanner duties, too.
> 
> If you're scanning a book, you are the person who first offers the book to 
> the 
>collection.  Someone, with or without a copy of the book you submit, will have 
>to read through it and decide whether you've done a good job.
> 
> When I scan, I scan the book as quickly as possible, making sure every few 
>pages that everything is going well.  Then I sit down with the book, move page 
>numbers to the top, strip the headers, put title, chapters, etc. in 
>appropriate 
>fonts, make sure ellipses and dashes conform to Bookshare format, and read the 
>book to find and correct scannos.  Even if I am holding the book for a 
>proofreader I know is meticulous I do these things.  There is still plenty for 
>them to do, but I try to let them proofread for pleasure more than to find my 
>pesky errors.  Many errors can be found and corrected quickly throughout a 
>book.  Those that can't I find by reading every word in the book.
> 
> Do I love every book I read?  No, but I've found a lot of books I really like 
>that I wouldn't have picked up except to put them in the Bookshare collection. 
> 
>I've learned about lots of things, and I truly love the work I do.
> 
> Scanning each book takes me two days to two weeks, depending on the length 
> and 
>the pleasure factor.
> 
> Hopefully, when a proofreader gets one of my books, he or she can do a quick 
>read-through and feel comfortable that the book is ready.  But I count on the 
>proofreader to make sure I haven't missed errors.  The purpose of two people 
>touching the book is making it as near perfect as possible.
> 
> Okay, I'm out of the closet!
> 
> Sandi
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ann Parsons" <akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Friday, April 20, 2012 7:14 AM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] The job of a proofreader is...
> 
> 
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> I'm writing because I just sent off a quality report about a book I'm 
>> reading.  
>>Oh, I'm going to finish the book, it's part of a series I'm reading, but I 
>>have 
>>a really hard and knotty question to ask volunteers.
>> 
>> Here it is, folks.  Is it the job of a proofer to actually *read* a book, or 
>>can a proofer get away with checking title and so on, and then just pushing 
>>the 
>>book through?
>> 
>> If you answered that you thought you could get away with just checking 
>>metadata, you'd be wrong, wrong three times over.  This book I'm reading, 
>>Divided Allegiance by Elizabeth Moon, has a wonderful title page and front 
>>piece.  Then, I started actually *reading* the blessed thing.  Well, I wasn't 
>>reading it, my DTBM was.  Anyway, this book's quality was only good.  There 
>>were 
>>a million scanos including the mangling of the main character's name.  Do you 
>>know how aggravating it can be when your main character, mentioned about ten 
>>times per page has her name mangled five out of those ten times?  Scannos 
>>like 
>>'ff' for 'if' and garbage chars at the end of pages.
>> 
>> <frowning darkly>  There is no excuse for this kind of sloppiness.  Why do 
>> you 
>>think it takes me weeks to proof a book?  It's because I actually read every, 
>>single, word in the whole blessed book!  I have allowed a book to be sent up 
>>after reading half or  so of it, but only once.  That was because the scanner 
>>was known to me, the book I had read so far had been aeror free, and I knew 
>>that 
>>the quality would be the same throughout!   If I proof, I read.  All this 
>>stuff 
>>could have been easily fixed! <grrrrr> Sorry for ranting guys, but I devoutly 
>>hope that my rant has stopped any lazy proofers in their tracks and caused 
>>them 
>>to reexamine their work.
>> 
>> 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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