Benetech
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September 21, 2011
Benetech's mission is "Technology Serving Humanity". This organization has several global outreach programs. The Bookshare online accessible library (eBooks and textbooks) supports tens of thousands of U.S. students with qualified print disabilities to get their books on time to study alongside their peers. Equal access to learning and opportunities to feel independent empower many children who, otherwise, would be lost. Good job!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
collaborating utilization, outreach and awareness and promoting good works results.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Include real-time telephone customer service.
December 7, 2010
I'm a quadriplegic due to neuromuscular disease, and a user of and volunteer for BookShare.
You can't imagine how happy I was to learn about Bookshare several years ago. I'd always been an avid reader, but the progression of my neuromuscular disease to my arms made reading difficult. A book stand helped for a while, but finally I had to ask others to turn pages for me. It became a burden to my family and caregivers to constantly drop what they were doing to turn a page, so I began seeking out ebooks. Few were available at that time, and I had trouble with the ones that were; they'd often be in a format that didn't work and play well with my voice recognition software.
Suddenly I had thousands upon thousands of books available to me, at a price I could afford, in a format I could read independently. And the best part? I could request books not already in the collection, and sometimes my wish would be granted. I began a reading binge that lasted a couple of years. Many were books I already had on my shelves, gathering dust because I couldn't pick them up.
Eventually I heard the call for volunteers, and decided to help BookShare clear out their queue of scanned books waiting to be proofread. Optical character recognition can only do so much; the software is thrown for a loop by everything from decorative fonts to images and completely flummoxed by columns, pull quotes, and tables. I vowed to bring each book that passed through my metaphorical hands up to the standard that a student writing a term paper would need, which is sometimes dry detailed work. (Oh, the war stories I could share of proofreading Mutual Funds for Dummies.) But I truly enjoy carefully reading a book, correcting any mistakes I see, as it gives me the opportunity to learn in depth about a subject I may never have given much thought to before.
The next step for Bookshare will be to expand their membership and volunteer pool, while developing their own ebook application so that all can enjoy a good book.
To paraphrase literary hero Miles Vorkosigan, access to books must never be abridged!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
-
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Make sure their new ebook application for the iPad is accessible by voice controls
December 6, 2010
We are members and volunteers for Bookshare and laud Benetech for all they do on a grass roots effort to change the way we mobilize change. Bookshare allows my family to read digital books and add new titles to the ever growing collection. It is a privilege to be associated with such a wonderful organization that promotes accessible reading and literacy!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
For the first time in years I can read without pain. I see the joy in my daughter's eyes in finally being able to read independently. My husband and I can make a difference by helping scan and proofread new titles to add to the collection.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I am always trying to find new ways to promote awareness and find new ways to improve the quality of the digital books in the collection.
November 13, 2008
I joined Bookshare in October, 2007, and have really enjoyed it. There are a number of books unavailable through the National Library Service, (NLS), and, even when they are available there, it is wonderful to be able to read books immediately, since they’re never out due to circulation to others, and there is no necessity to wait until they can be sent from a previously prepared list. The NLS reader advisors do a superb job, but since they are working with a limited number of physical books, there is often a waiting period before one can read a specific book. Especially in the case of previously read books that just seem to beckon to one for another look, the mood to read them has usually passed by the time they arrive. Since one can download books as they’re wanted, it is easier to read books in a series in sequence, too. The diversity of titles is also astounding. One can find several books on almost any subject. If a specific title in any of those subjects isn’t available, a wish list exists, and, chances are someone will find it and submit it. There is appropriate material for all ages. Furthermore, Bookshare’s policy of rating material protects children and young readers from gaining access to adult books. However, my favorite thing about this organization is the fact that I can contribute to it as well as take from it. To me, one of the greatest pleasures I can experience is to share books I really like with others. While there is already a large collection available on the site, I still have more books I want to contribute than there is time to do it in!
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
volunteering.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
October 16, 2008
I first visited Bookshare’s website (which makes digital books accessible to people with disabilities) in 2003 to locate a book which I was unable to find anywhere else. Since then, my husband Larry and I (who are both totally blind) have accumulated a large library which we either save to our computer or to a portable device, enabling us to read books not only at home but on the go as well. We both also enjoy adding books to Bookshare’s collection – Larry scans them with our Optibook 3600 scanner, while I correct scanning errors (to the best of my ability, sometimes a tedious task) before adding them to the library. Joining Bookshare has enabled us to read not only familiar authors but to acquaint ourselves with new authors whose works we have never experienced before. No matter how many books we submit, we both receive such pleasure when we receive the email notice that our book has joined the other books to explore. Though there are several sources from which we can obtain books, often Bookshare is the first organization to make them available. Over the last five years, we have also made several friends and assisted volunteers in learning the process required to submit their books to Bookshare. The collection is diverse and has provided us many hours of wonderful and informative reading!
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
Adding books to the collection
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
October 15, 2008
Benetech’s Human Rights Data Analysis Group is committed to the use of human rights statistics to fight impunity. I have known its director, Patrick Ball, since 1995, when we worked together in Haiti’s Truth Commission. He is a master at defying conventional wisdom with the power of numbers, dismissing claims often used for political purposes, and finding patterns when none is clear to the random eye. In Haiti, he demonstrated a pattern of increased violence during key political events faced by the military junta. Since then, he has worked in practically every truth commission created. In the case of former Yugoslavia, his work was groundbreaking: for the first time, a method used in natural sciences was applied to estimate the number of total human rights violations based on records from several databases. Ball’s book “Who did what to whom” is compulsory reading for all of us working in the human rights field. I am now supporting the Data Group’s in Colombia where it is working in helping improve the quality of governmental and non-governmental human rights databases. Jim Fruchterman, Benetech’s founder and winner of the MacArthur award, is a man dedicated to putting science to good use. His pet project is BookShare, a digital library for people with disabilities. In conclusion, two inspiring men have joined together to make of Benetech a stimulating institution, which has earned its motto of “science for humanity”.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
scientific papers.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
More feedback...
Ways to make it better...
i had more time with them.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
October 15, 2008
Benetech has greatly contributed to introduce scientific debate into the baseline discussions regarding human rights violations in Colombia. Through professional advisory services and long-term training programs Benetech has sought to ensure a sustainable intervention in the Colombian human rights community and has tried to guarantee installed capacity within local NGOs to conduct complex analysis. One direct benefit of Benetech’s intervention in Colombia has been the process of translation of sophisticated data programming and statistical analysis to a non-technical audience. This audience – mostly human rights workers – is now able to conduct an informed discussion regarding assertions that can and cannot be made with the type of data analysis that is being conducted. The “numbers debate” around human rights violations in Colombia is highly politicized and full of assertions that do not have technical backing. Benetech’s focus has facilitated the promotion of internal and public debate oriented at producing a better account of what is and what is not happening in terms of human rights violations. Moreover, partnerships established with NGOs and official entities have permitted a deeper analysis of the data that is produced, primarily through the conduction of comparative statistical exercises. The debates regarding the numbers has not ceased and is not likely to finish any time soon, but Benetech’s technical products have quietly become reference points for the international and academic communities in the country.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
public discussions on reporting on human rights violations in Colombia.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
conduct more tecnical studies on human rights violations and ensure that the results are translated into very simple conclusions for a wide audience.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
being able to tap into technical knowledge of data management and processsing that was beyond my field of knowledge.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
qualified and eager to share the learning experience.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
greatly enhance the understanding of the causes and consequences of violence in situations of grave human rights violations or armed conflict.
Ways to make it better...
a greater audience would have been reached.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
acquiring greater resources to conduct ongoing projects in the field.
One thing I'd also say is that...
it could greatly enhance qualitative understanding of violence and contribute to prove or disprove theories held on the causes and consequences of violence.
Should this review be counted for a specific campaign?
Universidad Externado de Colombia
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
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