[bksvol-discuss] Re: proofreading crisis
- From: "Lynn I" <lynnskyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:26:06 -0500
Hi Pavi,
I think I speak for many when I say thank you so much for looking into this
problem and addressing it. *smile*
Blessings.
Lynn I
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pavi Mehta" <pavim@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 2:17 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: proofreading crisis
Hi Lissi and others,
Thanks for the thoughtful discussion that has taken place on this list while
I've been away at C-SUN. (It was a pleasure to meet some of our volunteers
and members in person there!)
Carrie and I just had a follow up discussion on the problem of the scarcity
of books on the checkout list. To answer your question Lissi, staff and paid
subcontractors don't use the checkout list (except for rare exception cases)
so that isn't where the problem lies.
1. As you have all pointed out -- there are a few people who have checked
out and checked in large numbers of books without according to each, a
reasonable time for proofing.
I have written to these volunteers (my thanks to all the submitters who
wrote in with their concerns) and let them know that in the future if that
trend continues their checked in books will be returned to the checkout list
due to "insufficient time for proofing" and further action will be taken if
needed. Carrie is ccd on these letters so she stays in the loop as the
approval queue manager. We will certainly be watching the proofing time more
carefully here on.
2. Carrie and I talked about the possibility of scanning more books in-house
explicitly for the Checkout List. We are hoping to be able to up the weekly
number of new titles we scan here and place on the checkout list, so that
our proofreaders have more to choose from.
Regarding Hold Fors -- we know that many of you work in excellent teams and
do not want to do anything to prevent you from being able to reserve books
for your tag-team partner or anyone whom you have a good working
relationship with. That said, when I receive emails from proofreaders asking
that I place a Hold For on a book that is on the download list in their
name, I let them know that in order to be fair to other proofreaders I can
only do this for a maximum of two books, and if they want a Hold For on more
books the best way to do that is to develop a working relationship with the
submitter. If you would like me to modify this policy please let me know.
All good things,
Pavi
Pavi Mehta
Volunteer Coordinator, Bookshare
Benetech
480 S. California Ave., Suite 201
Palo Alto, CA 94306-1609 USA
Phone: +1 650 644-3459
pavim@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.benetech.org
The Benetech Initiative - Technology Serving Humanity
A Nonprofit Organization
-----Original Message-----
From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mickey
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 8:42 AM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: proofreading crisis
Well said, Lissi. I have some time off, and looked at the checkout page
today. The books are almost all either Holdfors or something not in my field
of expertise. Frankly, I'm ready to throw in the sponge.
I have some books to scan, but I don't even like my scans. But I'll do them
anyway.
We also need to be careful to nourish volunteers, to bring them along and
show them what we require, not only give to the ones we know are good. That
promotes cliques, which ruins any good volunteer organization.
Not trying to start something, just trying to make the organization better.
Mikey
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob" <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, March 22, 2009 12:36 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: proofreading crisis
> You do bring up some very valid points Lissi, and I want to second your
> concern.
>
> Some time ago I did notice that a few books were scanned and proofread by
> the same person and given the short path to the collection. I didn't
> notice many like that, but that could be one of the reasons for our
> incredible shrinking checkout page. I really love the book history feature
> that bookshare has implemented. In that way we can track a book's path to
> glory.
>
> Bob
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:21 PM
> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: proofreading crisis
>
>
>> Dear Bud and Booksharian Friends,
>>
>> The scarcity of books to proofread on the check-out page is alarming.
>>
>> I understand Bookshare wouldn't want to alienate its volunteers en masse,
>> but I think a small number of volunteers may be responsible for a large
>> amount of poor quality material being shunted through the system.
>> Certainly conscientious proofreaders are missing the opportunity we had,
>> a mere 3 months ago, to find books upon which to lavish our attention,
>> but worse yet, members are again, despite the elimination of the fair
>> category, being given books to read which are below the high standard
>> most of us willingly give our time and acquired expertise to maintain. It
>> only takes a couple of frustrating reading experiences for a member to
>> write Bookshare off as an unreliable source of reading material and I
>> think we shouldn't underestimate the damage the resulting word-of-mouth
>> criticism does to Bookshare's reputation.
>>
>> The purpose of proofreaders is to catch the errors which submittors miss.
>> A proofreader who runs a routine spell check and copyright check is bound
>> to overlook errors which will be all to obvious to subsequent readers.
>> Submittors like you, Bud, trust when you put a book on the check out
>> page, that the volunteer who checks out your book will take as much pride
>> in their proofreading as you do in your scanning.
>>
>> A few weeks ago I checked out a book by Avi, a book for middle school age
>> children, which was missing many page breaks and had had extra hard
>> returns on at least 95 percent of the lines. Some other scanning errors
>> had also been left uncorrected. It was put back on the check out page
>> after being checked in by a proofreader who would have to have noticed
>> these mistakes on practically every line, in just a few minutes of
>> examining the file. It took a couple of weeks for me to get a copy of the
>> book and to fix what needed fixing, but I'm a fan of Avi and I was
>> horrified at the thought of a kid getting such a good book in such sorry
>> condition.
>>
>> Another important point in my mind is the fact that we're watching the
>> check out page dwindle without knowing the cause. We're speculating
>> because we're concerned and because proofreaders' source of workable
>> files is drying up. Are their fewer submissions? Are a small number of
>> manic proofreaders who are ignoring the reading implicit in the word
>> proofread turning books around in the time it takes to fill out the check
>> in form? Is the staff proofreading books from the check-in form? Why has
>> the number of books on the check in page dropped an average of 100 books
>> a month. At that rate the page will be empty soon and May first will
>> truly be a May Day for dedicated proofreaders. Is there a future for
>> Proofreaders at Bookshare?
>>
>> Pavi, Carrie, Anyone on staff would ask you personally, but the answers I
>> seek are not just for myself. I believe concern and anxiety are running
>> high in this segment of the volunteer community. Please catch us up...
>> fill us in. Solid information would serve us far better than our
>> continued hypothesizing.
>>
>> Always with love,
>>
>> Lissi
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bud Schwab" <budschwab@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:22 PM
>> Subject: [bksvol-discuss] proofreading dilemma
>>
>>
>>> Hi guys,
>>> I was out this afternoon and when I got home I had 95 emails, mostly
>>> dealing with the shoddy proofreading. Maybe my thoughts are too simple,
>>> but why doesn't Bookshare have the authority to just dump those people
>>> who aren't really putting their heart in their work? I don't think
>>> a slap on the wrist is going to do anything. After all the hard work I
>>> put into scanning and cleaning up a book I resent it when it gets just a
>>> short checking and returned as proofread.
>>> Just my thoughts.
>>>
>>>
>>> Bud Schwab
>>> W 6 Z Y P
>>> Malibu, California
>>>
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>>>
>>
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>>
>
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