Hi,
I thought the Bookshare.org public beta announcement would be of interest to
this group.
Regards,
Alison Lingane
This is a forwarded message originally sent February 6, 2002
Bookshare.org - Books without Barriers
e-Newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 5
Public Beta is Underway!
This is a short *special edition* of the Bookshare.org
e-Newsletter, because we have an important announcement to share.
1. Public Beta is underway!
2. First 250 subscribers receive extended subscription
3. Submit Proof of Disability - get a head start on
membership
For the newcomers to the e-Newsletter, here's a brief introduction:
Bookshare.org is a new online community that enables
individuals in the United States with visual or other print
disabilities to legally share scanned books. Bookshare.org
takes advantage of a special exemption in the U.S. copyright
law that permits the reproduction of publications into
specialized formats for the disabled.
------------------------
1. Public Beta is underway!
As of February 5, 2002, our website at www.bookshare.org
is in public beta with full Bookshare.org functionality. The
site is still in a testing phase, and we will continue to put on
the finishing touches in preparation for launch on February
21, 2002.
At this website, without registering, you can use the search
functions to locate books already in the collection. You can
also download any book that is marked as being in the
Public Domain. Your feedback is critical in preparation for
launch. Please let us know what you think!
You can email comments directly to [log in to unmask]
We also encourage you to subscribe to the Bookshare.org
Discussion email list. Bookshare.org-Discuss will be an
ongoing forum where you can provide feedback about the
community or just discuss books and what you are scanning
with fellow members. To subscribe, send a blank Email to
the following address:
[log in to unmask]
2. First 250 subscribers receive extended subscription
As a tangible thank you for early testing and feedback during
public beta, the first 250 members to purchase a
subscription receive three additional months free! For those
individuals who qualify for membership, you can now register
(visit the "Join" link on the website), provide proof of
disability, and subscribe. Your subscription will commence
on the day that payment is received, giving you early access
to the full collection.
For the $25 set up plus $50 annual fee you'll get 15 months
of full access to the entire collection - only $5 per month.
Membership is available to U.S. residents with a qualifying
disability, including visual impairments and blindness,
reading disabilities, and physical impairments that make it
difficult or impossible to read printed books.
To find out more about membership, visit this link:
http://www.bookshare.org/web/AboutMembership.html
3. Get a head start on membership by submitting your proof
of disability today!
To make sure that you can access the latest bestsellers as
they become available from Bookshare.org, make sure to
get your proof of disability taken care of early. For full
access to the collection, including downloading copyrighted
books, you will need to register on the website (visit the
"Join" link), submit proof of disability, and pay for the annual
subscription.
Bookshare.org is already accepting proof of disability forms.
For more information, and to view the form, visit this link:
http://www.bookshare.org/web/AboutDisabilities.html
We're looking forward to seeing you on the Public Beta
website and hearing your feedback!
Sincerely,
The Bookshare.org Team
[log in to unmask]
www.bookshare.org
-------------------------------------------
ABOUT BOOKSHARE.ORG
Books without Barriers
Bookshare.org is a new online community that enables
people in the United States with visual or other print
disabilities to legally share scanned books. Bookshare.org
will launch on February 21, 2002.
Where do the digital books come from?
The Bookshare.org collection is built and shaped primarily by
its community of members and supporters. By scanning a
book to submit to the collection, a Bookshare.org member
can provide all other members access to that book.
Who can access the books?
Copyrighted digital books will be available only to U.S.
citizens or residents who have a disability that affects print
reading. Both individuals and organizational memberships
will be available. Qualified organizations are those that
provide accessible material to individuals with print
disabilities.
Why is Bookshare.org legal?
In general, it would be illegal to share or distribute
copyrighted books. However, Bookshare.org takes
advantage of a special exemption in U.S. copyright law that
permits the reproduction of publications into specialized
formats for the disabled. This project is possible under the
law in the United States, as long as the copyrighted digital
books are only available to people in the U.S. with bona fide
disabilities and the nonprofits and schools that serve them.
For more information, please visit our website at
http://www.bookshare.org/web/Legalities.html
Who is providing Bookshare.org?
Bookshare.org is a project of the Benetech Initiative, a
nonprofit organization. The Benetech team originally
developed the Arkenstone reading systems, and is now
using the power of technology to introduce new projects
such as Bookshare.org - www.benetech.org.
Copyright © 2002 Benetech
________________________
Alison Lingane
Senior Product Manager, Bookshare.org
www.bookshare.org
A Project of The Benetech Initiative - Technology Serving Humanity
Note: new address and phone numbers effective January 18!
480 S. California Ave, Suite 201
Palo Alto, CA 94306-1609 USA
(650) 475-5440 x122
(650) 475-1066 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
www.benetech.org
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