From: Bob <rwiley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Volunteering for Bookshare
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008, 11:18 AM
Well said Lori.
I hope this thread will be a place for folks to tell their
volunteering story.
I joined bookshare about a year and a half ago. Before that
I was an avid anti bookshare spokes person. I objected to
the fact that bookshare charged for their services, and also
to the fact that it's library wasn't totally
available to international readers. But I got desperate for
something to read, plus a friend of mine told me I
didn't know what I was talking about since I had never
been a bookshare member. So, I thought, I'll try it for
a year then go back to criticizing it with my own
experiences to rely on. Unfortunately, I love to read and
got hooked on the books. So, about three months after I
joined I decided to look into volunteering to help defray
the annual cost.
I don't scan because of arthritis in my hands, but part
of my last job before I retired was editing documents. I
found I enjoyed the detail involved in editing, and,
validating is just editing by another name.
Anyway, since I started volunteering, I've come to love
it. I would validate even if we didn't get credits for
it. Don't get any big ideas bookshare staff!
I now validate mainly books that I like to read, rather
than just taking on all comers. I take pride in doing a
thorough job, and have only had one book rejected. It was my
first book, and being inexperienced, I messed up the
pagination something terrible. Thanks Carry for rejecting
that long forgotten book. I'd hate to think it was
lingering on the site with my mistakes as part of it.
Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Oh yes, lest I forget, I am now a convert to bookshare and
apologize for all my unwarranted criticisms.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: Lori Castner
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 12:48 PM
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Volunteering for Bookshare
Hi, Folks,
Recent discussions on this list have caused me to think a
lot about why I volunteer for Bookshare.
However, without considering these discussions, i.e.,
whether volunteering will continue change or be the same in
the future, I want to share my own experience here for those
who might be interested.
A year and a half ago, I purchased my husband Mike a
membership to Bookshare because he was becoming bored with
books from NLS. Although we have a friend who validates
books for Bookshare, that activity seemed very abstract to
me, and I simply wanted to get Mike a source of new books.
He had been looking for a volunteer activity in the
community with little success, so he began validating books
and absolutely loved the activity.
Because of his enthusiasm, I purchased a bookshare
membership to get books to read, but primarily to validate
books. And I enjoyed validating almost as much as he did.
For us, bookshare is not so much a place to get reading
material--although I have read a fair number of books and
have many as yet unread on my computer and bookport and Mike
has read very few books, but rather a way to give back, a
way to give to others. Sure, we can still scan books just
for us to read, but that process now seems incomplete,
because Bookshare has provided a way for us to share those
books with others who would not find them through other
sources. Also, validating books so that they can become part
of a larger collection and be available for others to read
is unexpressibly rewarding.
I used to knit items for three different charitable
organizations, but since developing arthritis in my thumbs I
can no longer contribute very much in that way. I also
write poetry, but very few benefit from my poems at this
time. If we had not discovered the joy of volunteering for
Bookshare, Mike might still be looking for a gratifying
volunteer activity, which for a blind person can be as
difficult as finding a fulfilling job. And, I might be
wondering how to give back to the world.
Sure, without volunteering for bookshare, we would have
time to read more books, but that is only partially
rewarding and fulfilling. We might spend more time with
friends, but many of them work days and have most evenings
filled with family, errands, etc. But without the
fulfillment of giving back to others through volunteering
for Bookshare, our lives would be less rich, less fulfilled,
and less meaningful.
I speak only for myself although I am sure I am sharing a
common feeling. Thanks! Bookshare!
Cat Lover Lori
P.S. and I would have more time to play with and pamper
our cat who now sits in our den and watches us contribute to
the world!
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