[bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
- From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:39:50 -0600
Good afternoon again,
I believe we're all missing something here. Every time a sighted person
wishes to obtain information about a particular book are they being forced
to Google the title? I don't think so. Now should we put up with being
forced to doing so when the information exists which could be placed on the
listing page for busy members to obtain an idea of a book's content and
purpose? Some of us are very busy and don't have time to Google our lives
away; not when you have several Web clients jumping your gate concerning
their site's content. If Bookshare.org and its members fail to address this
and other issues related to the content of its holdings perhaps a little
competition would cause them to do something about it.
Peter Donahue
----- Original Message -----
From: "Elfqueen" <elfqueen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 12:48 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
Maybe there's a reason why they're restricted. If a book doesn't have a
satisfactory synopsis, it's not difficult at all to google the title and get
as much info as you could want on it.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 1:46 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
> Good afternoon Cindy and listers,
>
> The character limit can be raised to accommodate a longer scinopsis.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cindy Rosenthal" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:03 AM
> Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
>
>
> As I said in my post,the short synopsis is restricted
> to 250 *characters.* The synopses to which you refer,
> usually on the cover flap or the back cover of a book,
> are more than that and have to be edited. Plus, some
> books, especially paperbacks, and possibly the ebooks
> donatged by the publishers--I have no idea about
> them--have no such synopses. (the word is spelled s y
> n o p s i s in the singular and s y n o p s e s in the
> plural form, btw. smile.)
>
> The publishers, as I think Bob said, don't so anything
> but send the books, I gather in ebook form, to
> bookshare. Designated personel prepare them for
> bookshare form. My solution to avoid upsetting people
> would be not to add them to the collection until the
> synopses are added, and I think I suggested this to
> Carrie to be passed on, but I don't remember. The PQ
> books added yesterday or the day before did have short
> synopses.
>
> There is no excuse for volunteer-processed books not
> having short synopses, and I think they all do now.
> There is a place on the submission form for both long
> and short synopses, and people have been told not to
> write in the short synopses space "See long synopsis."
> Upon occasion I've gone to the long synopsis and
> edited it to fit the short synopsis and added it to my
> list that I mail out (I don't think you receive it but
> if you want to, let me know. Since only 6 books were
> added today (Tuesday) I'll post the list at the end of
> this and you can see how it differs from the Browse
> New Books list, from which it's taken ). On one
> occasion all I had to do was take the first couple of
> lines; I don't know why neither the scanner nor the
> validator didn't do that.
>
> Cindy Ro
>
> 6 English-Language books, added to the collection Dec.
> 9
> All Books are downloadable in BRF and Daisy unless
> otherwise stated; May include (or not) Adult-rated
> books. THIS LIST DOES NOT INCLUDE books only available
> to public K-12 schools and organizations in the United
> States for use with students with an IEP (NIMAC)
>
> Abbreviations Used: LJ= Library Journal;' SLJ=School
> Library Journal; PW=Publishers' Weekly; PD=Product
> Details--from Publisher; A=Amazon; BN=Barnes&Noble;
> K=Kirkus; BL = Booklist; CL=Children's Literature;
> CM=Child's Magazine; KL (KLIATT=bimonthly magazine,
> publishes reviews of paperback books, hardcover
> fiction for adolescents, audiobooks, and educational
> software recommended for libraries and classrooms
> serving young adults V (VOYA)
>
> ***My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John
> Adams by Margaret A. Hogan (editor), C. James Taylor
> (editor)
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Nonfiction
> Synopsis: Letters that were sent by Abigail and John
> Adams during their courtship, marriage (separation
> when John Adams was in Europe) and when they were
> apart in the States. Touching history brought into
> life.
> Copyright Date: 2007
>
> ***The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by
> Annette Gordon-Reed
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Nonfiction
> Synopsis: Not only a biography of Sally Hemings, who
> bore 7 children by Thomas Jefferson, this book details
> the extraordinary lives of her ancestors and
> descendants also. Winner of the National Book award.
> Copyright Date: 2008
>
> ***A Country Christmas by Bonnie Lou Risby
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Chlildrens/adult fiction
> Synopsis: It's such a hard year in the Ozarks even
> Santa's broke. A tornado, illness, and being teased
> and cheated can't keep Francy and her large family
> down. They use what they have in surprising ways to
> make a beautiful Christmas. Ages 6-9 and all ages.
> Copyright Date: 1996
>
> ***Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime
> Unit by John Douglas, Mark Olshaker
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Nonfiction
> Synopsis: True stories of how some of the most
> notorious serial killers and rapist were tracked down.
> Learn how they think by understanding the way they
> think and reason.
> Copyright Date: 1995
>
> ***The Promise by Chaim Potok
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Fiction
> Synopsis: The Promise is the sequel to and continues
> the story begun in The Chosen
> Copyright Date: 1969
>
> ***Halo: The Cole Protocol by Tobias S. Buckell
> Quality: Excellent, almost no errors.
> Science fiction
> Synopsis: In the first desperate days of the
> Human-Covenant War, the UNSC enacted the Cole Protocol
> to safeguard Earth and its inner colonies from
> discovery by a merciless alien foe.
> Copyright Date: 2008
>
> ***WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE
> BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS AVAILABLE AT
> http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/
> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>
> A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE
> AT http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/
> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>
>
>
> --- Peter Donahue <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Hello Cindy and listers,
>>
>> How many books have you read that contain a
>> scinopsis or a brief
>> annotation at the beginning. It's just a matter of a
>> volunteer or publisher
>> copying and pasting this information in to the
>> validate along with the other
>> data and it's done!! This whole business about this
>> requirement being too
>> time-consuming is nothing but first-class poppy cock
>> if you asked me! And
>> that also goes for Braille titles not being
>> proofread before they're posted.
>> My wife Mary over heard me writing this note and
>> said, "Amen!!" That's to be
>> expected from her since she's a Braille proofreader
>> at the Education Service
>> Center Region Twenty in San Antonio. If
>> Bookshare.org wants someone to
>> assist with proofreading their Braille titles they
>> need only give Mary's
>> boss a call. All the best.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Cindy Rosenthal" <popularplace@xxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 4:40 AM
>> Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations
>>
>>
>> The PQ books have been put on the list by bookshare
>> staff--certain ones are assigned to this--and at a
>> later time they will fill in the synopses. They
>> aren't
>> validated by anyone.
>>
>> For a while Mayrie and I were suppling short
>> synopses
>> but it is very time-consuming--not as easy as it
>> sounds, Peter, because of the restriction of 250
>> characters. I was very relieved to learn that they
>> would be supplied later and that I needn't bother
>> doing them.
>>
>> I think I did write and suggest that maybe it would
>> be
>> better not to post them until the synopses were
>> ready--but maybe I just thought about it. I did
>> notice, though, that the PQ books added to the
>> collection today all had short synopses, though not
>> perfect ones--not really synopses but something that
>> gave one an idea of what the book was about.
>>
>> Sometimes, when I know the book or have read about
>> it,
>> if I see a synopsis that is way off the mark, I've
>> rewritten it for my list and notified Carrie in case
>> they want to take what I wrote.
>>
>> As Bob said, anyone who had time can write one and
>> send it to Allison to be added--we aren't allowed to
>> just take what's posted on B&N or Amazon because
>> that
>> is copyrighted, but we can use what is on the back
>> cover if it is up there.
>>
>> Cindy Ro
>>
>>
>>
>> The problem
>> --- "Shelley L. Rhodes" <guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi Peter and Bonnie and All.
>> >
>> > The fact of the matter is that no one writes the
>> > synopsis' for the publisher
>> > quality books. For a while volunteers were
>> mailing
>> > synopsis's to Alice
>> > hilliger and she was adding them, I believe she is
>> > still doing this. So if
>> > you see a book, do some research figure out what
>> it
>> > is, write a short and
>> > long synopsis and send it to Bookshare they will
>> add
>> > it to the database so
>> > the book has one.
>> >
>> > I know right now I don't have the time or energy
>> to
>> > devote to that project
>> > with the other projects I am doing. have way to
>> > much on my plate as it
>> > stands, and can't do that too.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A., VRT
>> > And Guinevere: Golden Lady Guide Dog
>> > guidinggolden@xxxxxxxxx
>> > Guide Dogs for the Blind
>> > Alumni Association
>> > www.guidedogs.com
>> >
>> > Though force can protect in emergency, only
>> justice,
>> > fairness, consideration
>> > and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn
>> of
>> > eternal peace. -Dwight
>> > D. Eisenhower, U.S. general and 34th president
>> > (1890-1969)
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 6:37 PM
>> > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Missing Annotations
>> >
>> >
>> > > Hello everyone,
>> > >
>> > > For some time I have been greatly troubled by
>> > the number of
>> > > publisher-quality titles posted to the "Browse
>> New
>> > Books" area of the site
>> > > with missing annotations or book summaries. Its
>> > this brief scinopsis that
>> > > often determines whether I feel a book is worth
>> a
>> > read or not. I've had
>> > > previous communications with the folks at
>> Benetek
>> > concerning this matter
>> > > and
>> > > received a less than satisfactory answer. This
>> > problem should be caught
>> > > during the validation process and corrected
>> before
>> > a book is posted for
>> > > membership access. For God sakes it doesn't take
>> a
>> > week to extract a book
>> > > annotation and paste it in to the appropriate
>> > validation field. If I'm
>> > > going
>> > > to pay a subscription to this service I expect
>> to
>> > have access that will
>> > > enable me to choose whether to download and read
>> a
>> > particular book or not
>> > > and I'm sure there are others of you who feel
>> the
>> > same way.
>> > >
>> > > When asked what particular titles were
>> missing
>> > a scinopsis I explained
>> > > that there are way too many for me to list. For
>> a
>> > while an effort was made
>> > > to include book annotations in the listings, but
>> > the number of titles
>> > > which
>> > > don't include them is on the rise again
>> including
>> > a missing scinopsis to a
>> > > book entitled, "Raising Hell" by Ronin Ro.
>> > >
>> > > I would again urge the folks at Benetech to
>> > remedy this problem and
>> > > would appreciate the battle joined to ensure
>> that
>> > this solution is put in
>> > > place. It shouldn't be too much to ask a book
>> > publisher to include an
>> > > annotation when they send files for inclusion in
>> > the collection. Now I'm
>> > > done ranting. Here's hoping 2009 will bring with
>> > it a solution to this
>> > > problem and more ways for us to find information
>> > about particular titles
>> > > quickly and easily.
>> > >
>> > > Peter Donahue
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > "Given a chance to dream it can be done
>> > > The promise of tomorrow is real.
>> > > Children of Spaceship Earth the future belongs
>> to
>> > us all."
>> > > Flying for Me,
>> > > John Denver
>> > >
>> > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank
>> Email
>> > to
>> > > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the
>> > Subject line. To get a list
>> > > of available commands, put the word 'help' by
>> > itself in the subject line.
>> > >
>> >
>> > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email
>> to
>> >
>> > bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the
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>> commands,
>> > put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE
>> BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS
>> AVAILABLE AT
>>
> http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/wish_list/wish_list.htm
>> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>>
>> A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE
>> AT
>> http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/
>> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
>> bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the
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>> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
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>> put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
>>
>>
>
>
> WISH LIST (CALLED REQUESTED ADDITIONS TO THE BOOKSHARE COLLECTION)IS
> AVAILABLE AT
> http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/wish_list/wish_list.htm
> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>
> A LIST OF BOOKS CURRENTLY BEING SCANNED IS AVAILABLE AT
> http://www.friendsofbookshare.org/
> www.lljfm.net/bookshare/home.htm
>
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
> bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list
> of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
>
> To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
> bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list
> of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
>
To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
bookshare-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list
of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank Email to
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Put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the Subject line. To get a list of
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