[bksvol-discuss] Re: Adult Content
- From: Cindy Rosenthal <grandcyn77@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2012 17:03:55 -0800
Hmmm. But what about our sensitive members who don't like to read books
with profanity or explicit sex; should we, raher than label them AC, put
some kind of warning somewhere? Does what we put in the Comments section
get attached to the book fle? I'munder the impression that those comments
are only for the book share administrators, e.g. like errors in
punctuation and spelling are as they are in the print book.
I think I have in the past put such "warnings" in the synopsis or
somewhere but told it didn't belong there.
Cindy
On Fri, Nov 9, 2012 at 2:53 PM, Madeleine Linares
<Madeleinel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Hi everyone, ****
>
> ** **
>
> I thought it was about time for a refresher course in what we mean by
> Adult Content (also known as “AC”). There has been some confusion
> (off-list) and I’ve noticed it incorrectly marked in the Approval Queue. *
> ***
>
> ** **
>
> Here is a note from our Collection Development Manager on our definition:*
> ***
>
> ** **
>
> “Our policy, developed in conjunction with our OSEP funders, is that there
> are certain kinds of content -- explicit depictions of sexual acts with no
> redeeming social value, as well as extreme and gratuitous violence -- will
> require a minor to get an adult guardian's permission to access. As a
> "content-neutral" collection, we will never exclude a title for any
> potentially controversial or distasteful content, but we will tag some
> content for adult (or minors with a guardian's permission) use only. The
> idea is that parents can control the access their kids have to content
> deemed potentially inappropriate -- but they don't have the right to
> control or limit access to anybody else's kids.****
>
> ** **
>
> The "walking into a bookstore or library" test continues to be a good
> one. Could a non-print-disabled kid walk into a good bookstore or public
> library and get a copy of this book without an adult being involved? If
> the answer is yes, a print-disabled kid should be able to do the same on
> Bookshare. We are not interested in placing additional barriers to access
> for our members that their peers do not experience. This means we do have
> stuff available to members under 18 that has sex, and swearing, and
> violence, and substance abuse in it, and that is okay and in keeping with
> the generally recognized standards of "freedom to read" policy in this
> country.****
>
> ** **
>
> We don't have a perfect implementation of this policy yet -- I see
> evidence that we were a little more strait-laced in the early days (and fix
> it when I come across it), and our automated filtering from publisher feeds
> still needs some fine-tuning. When I'm trying to navigate something
> particular "gray area-y" like the steamier of the romances coming in, I ask
> myself about the intent -- is the action (even if hot and heavy) designed
> to move the characters towards relationship, or is the plot driven only by
> the need to get body parts intermingling again? It's the latter that's
> clearly AC, while the former continues to be ambiguous. Author intent is,
> alas, pretty gray-area-y and subjective itself, but I think it can help
> separate the sheep from the goats.”****
>
> ** **
>
> Adult content is confusing and clearly not black and white. Many romances
> (such as a lot of the Harlequin ones), though certainly racy, should not be
> labeled as AC. A 16-year-old could walk into a book store and buy ones of
> those books just as easily as a 38-year old, although his or her parents
> might not approve and might consider the content inappropriate. Anyway,
> just thought it couldn’t hurt to remind everyone!****
>
> ** **
>
> Feel free to contact me with questions, as always.****
>
> ** **
>
> Best, ****
>
> ** **
>
> Madeleine Linares****
>
> Volunteer Coordinator****
>
> Bookshare, a Benetech Initiative****
>
> 650-644-3459****
>
> madeleinel@xxxxxxxxxxxx****
>
> ** **
>
> Join us in celebrating our 10th
> Anniversary!<http://blog.bookshare.org/2012/03/11/join-bookshares-worldwide-10th-anniversary-celebration/>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> [image: Title: Bookshare logo: Bringing Reading to Life for 10 Years]****
>
> ** **
>
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