For BARD books and books downloaded from the NLS library, if you look at a review of that book, it'll make a comment such as "violence" or "strong language". I know it will probably take a long time, if it ever comes under consideration, but couldn't bookshare put those kinds of warnings? I mean, if someone were to do a quick search on a book, couldn't they have that kind of "warning" appear in the information that comes up? Just a thought. I'd like to point out that sometimes in a series, some books are marked as adult content and others aren't, even though they are from the same series. This is odd to me, and I wonder if that's an example of the filtering implementation going awry? On 11/9/12, Cindy Rosenthal <grandcyn77@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > 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]**** >> >> ** ** >> > -- Regards, Aidee To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-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.