Another point to consider here is the fact that not everyone has K1000.
Some volunteers use OCR software that doesn't include the great features
included in K1000. We all have to do the best we can with the tools we
have. Having said that, these are all good points. Take care!
Jana
E, your suggestions and my comments.
It is possible that these might be remedied by changes to either the bookshare site or the site which includes "no book left behind".
Bottleneck 1. the endless renewal of a book for validating by the same individual. I do not know what is going on here exactly. Either you are working on a book or you are not. I can understand some books taking a very long time, sometimes a month or two. I have had this example. Shurely a 90 day limit on a renewal by the same individual would work. It could be waived by administrative approval.
Note: This is not a lot different than getting approval for downloading more
than 100 books per month.
bottleneck 2. loss of knowledge of a book and its needs during the
validation process. I take a copy of a book to validate. I learn its
quirks. For one reason or another I release it. My knowledge is lost to
the next validator. There could be a comments field which I could fill out
(optionally) when I release a book. The knowledge would possibly be useful
to future validators. If bookshare itself is not interested in doing this
(or cannot do so financially), perhaps it could be part of the "no book
left behind" program. I am going for increased efficiency of the
validation process here not who puts it on whose site. The point is to
have a running commentary about a specific book available for a validator.
Note: this is not difference than the admins do when a book is kicked back
to the download page. When you release a book you would have 200 characters
to make comments.
bottleneck 3. quality of input. The better the original scan the faster the validation work.
If you have an older version of k1000, the upgrade to version 10 will cost you around a hundred dollars. The tools you will get increase your power as a submitter or validator by creating a better product.
Note: this may work though there are many of those who use the site that for
one reason or another can't afford to get upgrades. One thing that might
help in this area would be to strongly encourage comments from the scanner
on the quality beyond the three. Maybe a multiple list of aspects of the
uploaded book that could be included in the book description.
Kaitlyn :)
