Honoring Project Gemstone Champions

Bookshare’s validaters are its unsung heroes, people who process books submitted to Bookshare so they can be added to the Bookshare library. Their names aren’t listed on the Bookshare site, and yet they are a vital part of the book approval process. Project Gemstone was created to honor these hardworking people. To qualify for our drawing, participants were asked to validate a minimum of ten books, making sure they are in excellent condition. The response was tremendous, and Bookshare readers got over a hundred new books to enjoy during the contest. Here is a list of the Project Gemstone validaters.

  • Allison works steadily to get books ready for Bookshare. She’s worked especially hard to make sure books for teens and college students are included.
  • Ann works tirelessly to validate mysteries, historical fiction, fantasy, and other genres. She’s great at helping us fill in series of books.
  • Darrell is an energetic volunteer who is willing to tackle textbooks as well as other nonfiction and science fiction books.
  • Deborah is a versatile volunteer who validates a wide range of genres. Her love for music shows through as she has validated many biographies about musicians.
  • Dixie is a new volunteer who is enthusiastic and dedicated. She validated thirteen books in her first month.
  • Grace is unique among volunteers because she both scans and validates books. She brings consistent quality and passion to whatever she does.
  • Judy is a team player, pitching in wherever she’s needed. She takes on a wide range of challenging projects and brings quality to everything she does.
  • Rochelle is a dedicated volunteer who has validated a wide range of books. She has taken on several challenging books during the contest.
  • Tracy is a dedicated validater who has served Bookshare for several years. She is consistent in providing quality work, and she embodies volunteering at its best.

I am thankful for and proud of each of these people. It’s an honor to work with each of them, and I’m enjoying reading many of the books they’ve validated. Each man and woman on this list is more valuable than gold, and each of them shines more brightly than the most precious gemstone. Thank you each for your service.