[bksvol-discuss] Re: book request
- From: Kelly Pierce <kkellyp@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:51:23 -0600
Ann,
Effective immediately, I have implemented a policy of ensuring that
the author and/or publisher have been approached to donate their files
and partner with Bookshare before scanning a book published in 1990 or
later. I urge all others here to do the same.
As I started the tedious effort of scanning and proofreading some
books to which I really wanted access, I began to wonder if there were
a better way. I checked and found the books available in EPub format,
which Jim Fructerman says can easily be converted into DAISY by
Bookshare staff and technical volunteers. As someone who has
successfully advocated and created many accessible solutions for blind
people during the past few decades, I have developed a knack for
leveraging my skills, resources, time and energy to maximize my
independence and often that of other blind people as well. Tens of
thousands of people with disabilities have benefited from my
high-quality solutions that created accessible banking, accessible
voting, accessible public transit for the blind, Internet access, and
technology access overall. It occurred to me that the only thing that
stands between me and an existing EPub book is software that Bookshare
controls that turns an inaccessible e-book into something blind people
and those with disabilities can read easily.
This is why I have adopted a policy of asking the publisher and/or
author to donate their EPub books to Bookshare before I begin to scan
or
proofread a book. Further, publishers and authors need to hear from
people with disabilities about the inaccessibility of currently
available electronic texts.
It can be surprising on how much can be obtained just by asking. I
wonder why those who haven’t asked publishers and/or authors to donate
their files to Bookshare feel comfortable asking volunteers to go
through the tedious process of scanning and proofreading a book that
is already in Epub and can be converted to DAISY in an automated and
effortless process. The time available to this pool of volunteers is
not limitless. Blind people and those with print disabilities will
never achieve information equality without the cooperation and support
of leading authors and the publishing community. Many are willing to
help. They just don’t know how. Let’s inform and engage.
Kelly
On 1/31/12, Ann Parsons <akp@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Folks, I never pay attention to book requests because I'm a proofer,
> not a scanner, but this time, I have a request of my own. I just got a
> notification that Dana Stabenow has written a new novel in which her
> two prominent characters are featured. It's called Restless In The
> Grave. It's supposed to be coming out on February 14th. Is there any
> way that Bookshare or one of the volunteers could get a hold of it and
> scan it? I will proof, gladdly, if somebody will scan. I really don't
> want to buy the Kindle edition because I don't have the Kindle stuff on
> my new 'puter, and I hate the voice they use. Not only that, you can't
> read the dumb books except on your computer. I'd really really love
> Bookshare to do this book! I don't suppose its publisher is one we
> have in our list of donors? Don't know who publishes Stabenow books,
> but I could find out if necessary.
>
> Would somebody please forward this to the right place. Thanks.
>
> 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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