[bksvol-discuss] Re: bookshare and web braille
- From: "Allison" <alwaysallie@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Volunteer List" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 7 Dec 2004 23:25:31 -0500
Hi guys,
Shelly makes some great points. They are really thought out and well
articulated. I want to reply to each item she lists, just cuz it's
easier that way I think.
1. Bookshare is scanned books, submitted by members. Web Braille is
"embossible" ready files prepared with tax dollars by the U.S. Library of
Congress.
Me: That's true, but why is that a problem for sharing them? We share books
with universities and some companies.
2. Bookshare can expand and create titles which NLS can't, as well, we
aren't governmentally funded.
Me: Not to sound too sarcastic, but, so? We aren't forcing our books on
their collection, just sharing theirs.
3. Bookshare doesn't accept files from other e-book publishers. This I
suspect is a moral issue, and I hate to say it but I have to agree.
Especially if their members can't join Bookshare. And they have spent money
and time in preparing those pristine volumes and they get stolen and
submitted for people to view. If I was a company that this was happening
to, I would be pissed. And the "paster" would indeed get credit for work
they did not do.
Me: I agree with the idea that an individual getting money from what was not
their own scan is unethical. Even so, it could be a type of Bookshare
project to be worked on by which no one could submit a Web Braille book
unless they were authorized to do so, and understood that they wouldn't get
credit for it.
Also, I agree about not accepting books from e-book companies for the exact
reasons given above. However, NLS isn't a commercial company. There is no
reason Bookshare members, even with paid memberships, should have access to
a book that is offered for purchase elsewhere. However, NLS books, are not
purchased
books. If you qualify for Bookshare, then you qualify for NLS. Yes,
NLS is funded by taxes, but no one would actually lose money by making NLS
books available on Bookshare. If anything, the work put into the books
would
be used by a wider range of folks.
4. The size of Web Braille Files are the size they are because they are
intended to be embossible. If you print that file on an interpoint embosser
you will get the same size volume as the real Braille edition you would
borrow.
Me: That makes sense, I hadn't thought of that. Even so, how is it that
books done by NLS would be inherently bigger files than Braille files we
already have on Bookshare. They are both BRF files. Not saying you're
wrong, am just searching for clarification there.
If the BRF files are truly something that must be broken down, wouldn't it
still be useful to provide them in another format in addition to BRF?
Bookshare provides BRF or Daisy, I think because, not everyone who reads
e-books also uses Braille enough to read a book that way. To me, making NLS
books available on Bookshare in other formats would be helpful in such
cases.
However, one could make the case that it wouldn't be fair to make daisy
versions of NLS books only available to Bookshare. So, then that would have
to be addressed as well. Not the most convenient thing, but I think it
could be worked out.
I find myself rather frustrated to see that Books already available on Web
Braille are being scanned so they can be put up on Bookshare. To me it is a
form of reinventing the wheel. It's a waste of precious time and resources.
Even with NLS, Bookshare, and other places, blind people still lag behind in
book access. With that in mind, why should we be putting the effort into
duplications? We have a relatively small group working for print access for
the blind, why increase that work load simply because of little differences
between organizations? So, we're funded differently, but we have the same
goal. No, the blind shouldn't have free access to all books simply because
we're blind, but books available through a library are already available to
those who qualify free of charge. I just don't see what NLS would have to
lose in such an arrangement.
Okay, that's a lot to take in I know. Thanks guys for listening to me. I'm
rather passionate on this issue, can you tell? I've been giving it a good
bit of thought for a while now.
One more thing before I sign off. Shelly, you are great, girl! This is not
personal at all. Just a discussion. Yes, a passionate discussion, but a
discussion nonetheless. I replied directly to your comments because you had
made the most valid points about this issue. You seem to have it well
thought out too.
Everyone feel free to jump in on this topic still. I don't wanna scare
anyone away! Go ahead and tear into my arguments, I can handle it, lol!
Smiles,
Allison H.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 2:27 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: bookshare and web braille
There are many things at hand in this issue.
1. Bookshare is scanned books, submitted by members. Web Braille is
"embossible" ready files prepared with tax dollars by the U.S. Library of
Congress.
2. Bookshare can expand and create titles which NLS can't, as well, we
aren't governmentally funded Any radical thinking from Iranian authors
anyone.
3. Bookshare doesn't accept files from other ebook publishers. This I
suspect is a moral issue, and I hate to say it but I have to agree.
Especially if their members can't join Bookshare. And they have spent
money
and time in preparing those pristine volumes and they get stolen and
submitted for people to view. If I was a company that this was happening
to, I would be pissed. And the "paster" would indeed get credit for work
they did not do.
4. The size of Web Braille Files are the size they are because they are
intended to be embossible. If you print that file on an interpoint
embosser
you will get the same size volume as the real Braille edition you would
borrow.
I have to shudder to think the size of some of Bookshare's files if we did
that.
Just my views, but I like "separate but equal" in this situation. As Mike
puts it these are two entirely different beasts. And to add to this, why
not "list remotely" all the files produced and books sold by the American
Printing House. That would make our collection look tiny and a bit
intimidated, but it would add to the size of the collection and if people
wanted they could purchase the books, course you need quota funds or a
wealthy aunt to do it.
smile.
I think that partnering with smaller companies is a better way to go.
National Braille press and American Foundation for the Blind offer quite a
bit of remote book listings.
Shelley L. Rhodes and Judson, guiding golden
juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Guide Dogs For the Blind Inc.
Graduate Advisory Council
www.guidedogs.com
The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to
stare up the steps - we must step up the stairs.
-- Vance Havner
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gisela Vazquez" <gvazquez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 2:00 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: bookshare and web braille
Like I said, no one would get credit for it because they aren't personal
scans, but they would still be more books on the Bookshare site
i agree. I hate downloading a bunch of files just to read one book. I
think
it has to do with copyright law. It would be nice though. I gues we can't
have it all!
Gisela
Gisela Vazquez
MSW
"Progress comes from the intelligent use of experience".
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