[bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
- From: Christine Szostak <szostak.1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 13 Apr 2014 22:45:40 -0400
Uh-oh, I think I started a scanning/proofing war. In my opinion, both are
amazing opportunities, and I really am sorry to hear that scanning is so much
less popular at the moment. It is like good book publishing, or in my field,
excellent research reporting. Without the writers think of these like
scanners), we can not have science move forward as they provide us with the
research and the new knowledge about important topics. Journal editors (think
of these like proofers) take this work, and ensure it is perfect so that what
the writer provided is as elegant and as important as the writer had intended
and that it says exactly what the writer was meaning to convey. Both scanning
and proofing are equal and opposite ends of an amazing process that is well
worth what both individuals provide and for many of us, is the most helpful way
to get our jobs done (given that many other accessible formats are not as
up-to-date) and bring us pleasure! I think personally, it is just a manner of
personality. Scanners want to get all the new books out there they can to give
us access, proofers want to complete the next step by making those books as
fully perfect for us as they are for the general population. So, my guess would
be that, if your personality is a nitpicky perfectionist (like me), you
probably are a proofer at heart and if your personality is a go-getter, you are
probably a scanner at heart!
Happy almost Monday!
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: Evan Reese
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 10:19 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
I don't need to think about it. Just ask anyone who proofs my scans, I do
quite a lot of preproofing.
Evan
----- Original Message -----
From: Nimit
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 10:03 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
Well... You know, if you think about it, scanners have to do or should do
some pre proofing because there are some things that proofers can't do. It all
comes down to team cooperation which I have encountered good volunteers. I
have not done bookshare work in a long time mainly because I am out of free
time from education, activities and all that. In addition, some of us who
proofread cannot afford scanning materials. JMO!
Sent from my super iPhone
On Apr 13, 2014, at 9:47 PM, "Evan Reese" <mentat1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Sharon: Glad to hear there are others like me who prefer scanning to
proofreading. As I've said before, I know how it works, but still there's a
kind of magic about making words appear, either spoken or in braille, from
inaccessible pages. Proofreaders can't do that!
And the fact is, as Roger rightly points out, we do need more scanners.
Without us, there's nothing to proofread.
I'm not dissing proofreaders. Far from it, as my Lissi is one of the
best; and she hardly scans at all. But there's an imbalance of scanners to
proofreaders, and I don't know what can be done about it.
Evan
----- Original Message -----
From: Sharon
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 9:30 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
Yea, I’m the opposite. I’d much rather scan than proofread. Especially
with the new standards for proofreading.
I just don’t have the patience for it; I want to be scanning the next
book.
Sharon
From: Kim Friedman [mailto:kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 6:58 PM
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
Hi Bob, I remembered telling a friend of mine what I was proofreading
and she saying she’d go nuts if she tried to do that. I know there are people
who are comfortable doing both scanning files and proofreading but I find the
prospect of scanning intimidating, but proofreading I enjoyed, especially if I
got to read something I was interested in. I’d get to read the book before
anyone else at Bookshare did (I’m referring to fellow Booksharians and not to
the admin. Staff.) I haven’t analyzed what makes some people prefer Scanning
files and vice versa. I think there must be continuum of submitters who would
rather do anything rather than proofreading to those like me. Regards, Kim
Friedman.
From: Bob W [mailto:rwiley45@xxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 3:21 PM
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
Hi Christina.
Sounds like you would take volunteering seriously. Great! That's what
they need.
I haven't volunteered for about a year because of arthritis.
However, volunteering was one of the most challenging and interesting
parts of my bookshare experience.
You may find that different people consider certain hardware and
software essential. I used Kurzweil extensively in my proofreading, and would
deem it essential, but others might not.
Another thing I found essential was communication with the person doing
the scanning. I love good teamwork, and this fit right in perfectly.
However, beware of volunteering as a proofreader: it could become
addictive.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: Christine Szostak
To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 3:49 PM
Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Volunteering for Bookshare
Hi All,
I am considering volunteering for Bookshare and have a quick
question. My particular interest is in proof reading as I have done a fair
amount of general proofing for students, peers, and colleagues and love doing
it!
As I am totally blind, I was curious if anyone here without any
vision is a proof reader and how you deal with things like making sure paging
is accurately matching the original hard-copy source and how you deal with
things like knowing that bolding needs to be added without looking visually
at the original source... I know how you check for these types of things with
JAWS so I would know how to check whether they are present or not, but what I
do not know is how to check whether they match the original text. Any advice or
suggestions would be much appreciated!
Have a wonderful week!
Chris
Christine M. Szostak, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Shorter University
Rome, Georgia
szostak.1@xxxxxxx
If you are interested in a professional consultation for a vision
loss related issue see:
http://findingthevision.wikidot.com
If you are in need of a professional consultation for general
research/statistical related issues see:
http://researchconsulting.wikidot.com
If you are looking for professional proof reading or editorial review
services see:
http://researchconsulting.wikidot.com
Other related posts:
