[bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
- From: "Donna Goodin" <goodindo@xxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 12:24:30 -0400
Hi Dave,
First, let me just say that my side in our argument has been strongly
proBookshare, or I wouldn't be here. I believe fervently in equal access,
and I also believe that it's absurd for ten thousand blind people to all
have to sit and scan the same Harry potter novel, which is a big reason I
think that Bookshare is so important. That said:
1. If you lost books because of your own failure to back up your hard disk,
well that's your fault. *smile* You technically *could* still have those
books.
2. It is true that sighted people can use the public library, but as I have
already pointed out, you only get the book for a week or so. That's very
different from getting to download something and keep it for the rest of
your life. So, according to your theory we should also only get to keep
Bookshare books for a couple of weeks.
3. I, too, purchase many of the books I scan. I have, however, and I know
others have as well, scanned and submitted books we have borrowed from a
library. Yes, the library *did purchase the book, but not with the intent
that thousands of people would be able to download copies of it for free.
4. As to the cost of Bookshare, I scanned some books before joining, so my
original cost was defrayed. By the time I renewed this past year, I had
enough submission credits to cover my subscription, and will probably have
for next year as well. So, though I have payed for some of the books I
submitted, I have not had to pay directly for my Bookshare membership.
5. Even if you choose to pay for you Bookshare membership, that money goes
to Bookshare. Neither the author nor the publisher get any of it. That
starts to look pretty significant if someone is downloading 100 books a
month.
getting out the hornet spray (smile)
Donna
----- Original Message -----
From: <talmage@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 11:59 AM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Bookshare's Purpose in Your Eyes
>
> Well, playing the role of one of the hornets, considering the fact that
the
> right to equal access is the law of the land, I would have to ask your
> husband the following.
> Is he supporting, or recommending, that as a nation we take up the
> challenge of 'Fahrenheit 451?'What I mean by this, is if people should not
> be provided with free access to books, we have a great many public
> libraries we need to start shutting down. When my son gets a book from
the
> school library, he is reading a book that he didn't pay for, and more than
> one other person has already read it, or will read it. So considering
your
> point, that he is getting free access to a book, we certainly need to shut
> down that school library. Ah you say, but someone has purchased that
book,
> and he is reading the hard copy edition. Well, with the exception of
books
> provided by the publishers, the books on Bookshare were all purchased by
> someone, and we aren't hacking into the publisher's database and grabbing
> these files. In recent months, I have probably purchased at least 8 books
> myself that I probably wouldn't have bought if not for becoming aware of
an
> author or series on Bookshare. But you say, once you download a book you
> can have it forever. Well, since my recent computer crash of a few months
> ago, and being particularly remiss in my backup regime, I would have to
> question the concept of forever. The nice thing however, is that those 8
> or so books that I purchased are still on my bookshelf, or maybe in my
> son's room. Perhaps I should go get them out of there, as he didn't buy
> them, and I guess therefore he shouldn't be reading them. Regarding those
> books, 3 or 4 I can go and get from Bookshare so I won't have to scan them
> again, and the others I have yet to scan.
> While I don't want to belabor the point, and yes I realize that my
> arguments were extreme and silly, I don't feel that they are any more
> ridiculous than someone asking the question, 'do blind people have the
> right to free books?'Please also remind your husband, that Bookshare has a
> $50 a year subscription fee, just as many public libraries do.
>
> Dave
>
> At 10:00 AM 6/9/2004, you wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> > Well, I maybe stepping in a hornet's nest here, but here goes ...
> >
> > On an introductory note, my husband is part of a panel that is
presenting
> >a session at the upcoming AHEAD conference next month dealing with blind
> >access and copyright law. As you can imagine, there's been lots of hot
> >debate around our dinner table on this topic lately. Though we're still
a
> >ways away from a cease fire, *grin* he does raise one point which I think
is
> >an extremely valid one: are blind people entitled to free books?
>
>
>
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