Cindy, if my memory serves me correctly, these two mysteries were not scanned by Louise's friend. Whether or not it's the same person, talking about the woman you've mentioned by name on a list where she isn't even present to explain her actions seems like gossip to me. I'm sure you don't mean it that way, and I know you're frustrated with this person. I am too. I'd love to change the situation somehow. I just don't think this is the way to accomplish it in the long term. A direct approach to deal with the problem at the root seems more effective to me. I think having ongoing issues with a specific submitter should be addressed to Bookshare directly and in writing so that it's put into their issue tracking system.
My concern is that mentioning poor submitters by name on the list will contribute to an atmosphere of gossip, making it almost impossible for a person to have a change of heart down the road. I'm also concerned that people may not speak up to get help with their scans for fear of being labeled a poor submitter. I don't know if you know this, but what we say on this list is published on Google and is archived by both Google and Freelists for the forseeable future. What we post on a bad day doesn't just go away. I can find things I've written online from all the way back to 1992, some of them not so flattering. The archives of this list are a great asset to Bookshare and to new volunteers. What we say here can help people as they learn how to work with books, and I think that's important. We can do a lot of personal harm to someone though if we label them negatively in a public setting. We can't just take it back if their behavior changes in the future. What we say could be read 5, 10, or even 50 years from now thanks to the power of the internet. Try doing a Google search for some of the people who post on here often, and you'll see what I mean.
Now, for the fix. Yes, I do think there is one. Bookshare itself should be taking care of issues regarding ongoing poor performance, and I would urge anyone who has problems to write to Bookshare for help. In fact, documentation of this issue may be what the staff needs to justify taking action here. If each of us who regularly experiences trouble with a submitter writes to Bookshare, they will have to listen. I don't mean a problem scan here and there or scans by new volunteers. Those of you who validate know that we have just 3 or 4 people who consistently put very poor scans into the system, and they've been doing it for years. If each of us who has dealt with these chronic issues addresses Bookshare for help, they will see that we're not willing to slog through the garbage anymore. So as I see it, we use a two-prong strategy. First, write a polite but direct letter stating that as a volunteer, you are unwilling to continue to process scans from the chronically poor submitter, mentioning them by name to Bookshare. Describe the state of the scans you have personally witnessed so they will understand why this is an issue. Ask Bookshare politely to take steps to address this ongoing and chronic situation. Being polite and professional is a very important part of making this strategy work.
Then completely stop working on scans by these specific people. Do nothing. No rejecting, no cleaning, no downloading at all. Let them fall down to the bottom of the step 1 page so Bookshare can see them in a cluster. Do nothing with them until Bookshare makes up its mind to take action on them. Encourage new volunteers to work on books rated excellent at first since that works best for them anyway. Carry on validating books that interest you as you normally do, passing over these problem scans. Resist the temptation to tidy up a bit for now. Yes, this does mean that we'll have some messed up books on step 1 for a little while. It'll be sort of like filling a trash can to the point that someone finally decides it's full enough that they'd better carry the trash bag out to the dumpster. If a trash bag is only half full, it's easier to put off dealing with its contents. When it's full, you really have to do something about it.
Pretty soon, one of two things will start happening. Either Bookshare will take some action as a result of our letters, or the submitters will begin asking Bookshare support why none of their books are coming through. Either way, we're out of it. Bookshare will have to make a decision on those books, not us. Our decision is already made. We've decided not to give consistently sloppy submitters the gift of our time and attention. We're choosing to use our resources productively, to help new submitters, scan our own books, and to validate books that can actually be approved into the collection without retyping the entire book.
What do you all think? Is it worth a try? Monica Willyard Grandma Cindy wrote:
Maybe it's about time we stopped being so careful and not mentioning that person's name. Maybe if we identify her she'll get embarrassed and reform--although I don't think she's on the list. What do some of her friends who are on this list think? G.Cindy
