I'm sorry that this trend with Braille is happening. I'm just guessing, but
maybe it has something to do with the small number of people who read
Braille. I've heard a figure of around 12 percent or so, but I'm not sure I
can believe that it's really that low. But if it is, then maybe they feel
that it just isn't cost effective. Too bad, though. I'm not saying I agree
with that, but if that's the reason, I can at least see their point of view.
It may be some other reason, though, I don't know.
I also agree with you about abridged books. I won't read them at all. They
may be doing more of them because it gets books out faster than doing the
full version. But the solution I would favor is to speed up the publication
of the unabridged versions. A book I had been wanting to read came out in
August 2004. I know because I checked both Amazon and the author's website.
I knew that NLS would do it because it was the second book in a popular
series. The book finally shows up in my mailbox in mid January 2006. What
have they been doing up there all this time I should like to know. I
understand that they have very high quality standards, but I just don't see
why a 300 page book should take 17 months to get from publication to me.
They didn't even record it until July of 2005. (They always tell you when
it was recorded at the end of the book, for those unfamiliar with NLS.)
Now that I have Bookshare, I am finding that I am much less patient (read
resigned) to waiting and waiting for books that I want to read that I know
are out there. Aside from all the books that aren't available anywhere
else, this is my favorite thing about Bookshare. I am pretty new, but I
know that I will get used to instant gratification of my book lust very
quickly. <grin>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Monica" <plumlipstick@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2006 6:03 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: How Many NLS Members? (was) Re: Bad scan
Wheel of...
I have been reading this thread with some interest. Some excellent points have been made here. I tend to use NLS for fiction books and to scan my nonfiction. I do that because I'm more likely to want to skip around or repeat things in a nonfiction book, especially something like a cookbook. NLS seems to be phasing out their Braille support. My state has abandoned support for Braille completely so that we are supposed to contact a library out west somewhere. I tried to sort through the maze of switching over and finally gave up in confusion. Reading things like cookbooks or how-to books on cassette is maddening for me, so I scan instead.
I find the NLS dabbling in abridged books disturbing. Abridged books are like being served half of your lunch and pretending you've got the whole thing. It's not legally or morally wrong for them to do the abridged books I suppose, but it's not the same as equal access to the print book. I think sighted people started the trend of book abridgement so they could read the "whole" book during their commute to and from work. It's convenient for them, but it means that most audiobooks are in abridged form these days. If NLS starts that dance too, I will be a very unhappy camper.
Monica Visit my blog at: http://plumlipstick.livejournal.com
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