[bksvol-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
- From: "Larry Lumpkin" <llumpkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 13:18:38 -0500
Excellent post Lori. My wife Susan and I have had the same experience. We
called our local volunteer center several years ago and they couldn't get us
off of the phone fast enough. I often think that the so-called progress that
people think we have made is a lot of smoke and mirrors.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lori Castner
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 12:48 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Volunteering for Bookshare
Hi, Folks,
Recent discussions on this list have caused me to think a lot about why I
volunteer for Bookshare.
However, without considering these discussions, i.e., whether volunteering
will continue change or be the same in the future, I want to share my own
experience here for those who might be interested.
A year and a half ago, I purchased my husband Mike a membership to Bookshare
because he was becoming bored with books from NLS. Although we have a friend
who validates books for Bookshare, that activity seemed very abstract to me,
and I simply wanted to get Mike a source of new books. He had been looking for
a volunteer activity in the community with little success, so he began
validating books and absolutely loved the activity.
Because of his enthusiasm, I purchased a bookshare membership to get books to
read, but primarily to validate books. And I enjoyed validating almost as much
as he did.
For us, bookshare is not so much a place to get reading material--although I
have read a fair number of books and have many as yet unread on my computer and
bookport and Mike has read very few books, but rather a way to give back, a way
to give to others. Sure, we can still scan books just for us to read, but that
process now seems incomplete, because Bookshare has provided a way for us to
share those books with others who would not find them through other sources.
Also, validating books so that they can become part of a larger collection and
be available for others to read is unexpressibly rewarding.
I used to knit items for three different charitable organizations, but since
developing arthritis in my thumbs I can no longer contribute very much in that
way. I also write poetry, but very few benefit from my poems at this time. If
we had not discovered the joy of volunteering for Bookshare, Mike might still
be looking for a gratifying volunteer activity, which for a blind person can be
as difficult as finding a fulfilling job. And, I might be wondering how to
give back to the world.
Sure, without volunteering for bookshare, we would have time to read more
books, but that is only partially rewarding and fulfilling. We might spend
more time with friends, but many of them work days and have most evenings
filled with family, errands, etc. But without the fulfillment of giving back
to others through volunteering for Bookshare, our lives would be less rich,
less fulfilled, and less meaningful.
I speak only for myself although I am sure I am sharing a common feeling.
Thanks! Bookshare!
Cat Lover Lori
P.S. and I would have more time to play with and pamper our cat who now sits
in our den and watches us contribute to the world!
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