Beautifully written, as always, Lissi. Cindy Ro --- Estelnalissi <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Dear Peter and Booksharian Friends, > > Peter, stick around for a while and watch Bookshare > evolve and I can assure > you it will. > > In the two and a half years I've been a subscriber > and volunteer the quality > of incoming books has steadily improved. It's > astounding how much more > accurate scanning hard and software has become and > how accomplished are the > volunteers. > > For the most part, I validate. As a lifetime braille > reader, retired teacher > of the visually impaired and a spare-time line and > continuity editor,, I > proofread books word by word from my first days as a > validator. As careful > and pokey as I was, I was a newbie with a lot to > learn. It was on the job > training with volunteers on the lists for my > teachers. Fortunately, we > always have newcomers who make mistakes as we all > did at first, but who > will, with practice and support, become competent, > productive, contributors > which insures that the volunteer community will > remain strong and > innovative. > > Bookshare has raised its standards. It allows > volunteers to use their > initiative resulting in auxiliary resources like > Jakes list of tips, Monica > W.'s contest to reward submittors and validators, > Cindy R.'s daily lists of > new books added, books being scanned and the wish > list and Pat Price's > Friends of Bookshare site with its chat rooms and > book clubs. Bookshare > gives its volunteers a positive environment in which > to improve. It also > encourages us to remove books with errors and > replace them with finer > copies. > > The books I pick up are scanned by volunteers whose > work is so pristine I > can't imagine well paid employees doing any better. > My own ability to > utilize Microsoft Word and Kurzweil has been honed > so well that though my > list of elements to check, in addition to word by > word proofreading, has > grown, my speed is faster. The feedback I get from > subscribers who download > my books and read them in braille and auditorially > reassures me they are > accurate and highly readable. > > It's true some of the braille translation tools need > to be more > sophisticated, but Bookshare's steeply inclined > technical development curve > is a reliable indicator that the tools will get > better along with everything > else Bookshare has undertaken. > > Remember, Bookshare is a nonprofit organization > which gives its subscribers > more books than anyone could afford to buy or would > be allowed to borrow > from any library. Where else are members invited to > wish for and add any > book they like. Growing up as a blind reader, books > were chosen for me. Now > if I or a cast of hundreds can get our hands on a > book, it's ours and we do > the choosing. > > The name says it so simply and eloquently. > Bookshare. We the readers, share > with each other and anyone who has trouble accessing > print books. The > growing staff, generously supplemented by > volunteers, has gathered a massive > collection of over 42,400 books. This couldn't have > been accomplished by a > for profit business or even by a splendidly > successful organization like > National Braille Press which relies on paid staff > for all of its output. > > This isn't Bookbuy, it's Bookshare and it's thriving > and maturing beyond our > wildest expectations. So, grab some books that float > your boat and stick > around. > > Always with love, > > Lissi > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob" <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 11:22 PM > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing Annotations > > > > We can complain as much as we want to, but that > won't make us sighted. If > > it did, then some of us would be visionaries > indeed. > > > > One thing I do if I find a really good book (or > one that is really bad) is > > to write a review for that book. We can all do > that and it may help the > > next person decide to give the book a chance. > Another thing I do for books > > I really like is to write a blurb here on this > list. Unfortunately, I > > haven't done that as much as I should have, but > it's another way we can > > all help each other out. > > > > Peter, in the last paragraph of your message you > bring up a good idea; > > namely, the possibility for a competitor to > bookshare. I'm all for > > competition, but the competitors have a high bar > to cross. > > > > Bookshare is quite inexpensive $25.00 per year and > if you find $25 per > > year onerous you can volunteer and pay them with > credits; it has a well > > established library (I don't remember the number > of books, but it's more > > than I'll ever read); and it has a wonderful crew > of volunteers. > > > > However, if there are competitors, bring 'em on > and I'll join them too. > > > > Bob > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 1:39 PM > > Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Missing > Annotations > > > > > >> 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 > >>>> > Subject line. To get a list of available > >>>> 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 > >>>> 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. > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> 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 > >> 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. > > 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.