What do you do at Learning Ally? I lead the Foreign Language Community, supervising the recording of all foreign language textbooks, and I lead the TOC Community, a group of organized, computer-savvy volunteers who help set up the textbooks so they are ready for the other volunteers to work on.  In non-COVID times, I also handle a lot of engagement and outreach initiatives in Georgia, mostly with the Lions Clubs and University of Georgia faculty and students.

How long have you worked at Learning Ally?  I became a volunteer almost as soon as I heard of it, in July 2007, and by the next summer I was on staff.

What made you want to work at Learning Ally? I can't imagine NOT wanting to work here.  Each day is different, so I don't have time to be bored, and all day, everyday, everything I am doing is helping someone in need.

What's something most people at LA don't know about you? What do you do during your free time? I grew up in a military family and have trouble sitting still. I'm 55, and have moved 32 times in my life, living in places as scattered as Maine and Florida, and California and Guam.  I love to travel, and am never happier than when I can get my husband and/or one of my children to go adventuring with me.  We are all hoping to go together to Norway for my 60th birthday, so I am (slowly, in my free time), studying Norwegian.

What is your favorite book? I don't really have a favorite but the two that probably had the most impact on my life were the unabridged versions of Johanna Spyri's Heidi  and Mary Mapes Dodge's Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates  which I received for my seventh birthday. They were the first "real" books I read, and at seven they were a bit of a challenge.  But, I read them, and I loved wrapping my head and tongue around the foreign words and cultural differences. I sometimes wonder if I joined the German folkdancing group at my high school so I could dress in a dirndl like Heidi and Gretel--?

If you could be any fictional character for a day, who would you be and why? H.G. Wells in the TV show Warehouse 13: she's absolutely brilliant, a good person deep down, and at about 140 years old she still looks stunning.

If you could write a book about your life, what would the title be and why? Say Yes to Adventure! I love a good adventure, and they usually happen when I take a chance and say yes.

You’re reading along, either as a Narrator/Reader or a Listener/Checker, and suddenly you run into something you’re not sure about, something that doesn’t seem to be covered in your Project Guidelines.  It’s 10:00 Saturday night and you’re pretty sure all the staff are off-duty. What should you do?

1. Write a long rant in the Hangout or Google Group, complaining about the ridiculous state of education in our country.

2. Just make a guess; you’re pretty smart, anyway.

3. Check out the Resources Tab at the Volunteer Portal.

4. Quit and never respond to any communications from staff ever again.

Well, you probably ARE pretty smart...but if you are, you will choose C.  The Resources Tab at the Volunteer Portal can be your best friend in tricky situations.  So, let’s take a look at it together; we’ll give a brief overview of each section. NOTE: you do not need to be a member of any specific community to explore that community’s links.  You never know what useful information you’ll find!

The Textbook Community section includes a variety of very useful documents, ranging from conventions and helpful guides to forms:

• Computer and Code Guidelines:  directions for computer-related items like reading code, how to announce various symbols within code, etc.

• Conventions Wiki: the general guidelines for Textbook Community projects

• Famous Names and Places:  great tips on how to research the pronunciations of famous names and places; this document includes all kinds of helpful links to sites specific to occupations and locations around the world.

• Figure Description Crib Sheets: instructions for reading all those pesky non-text items like tables, vo-tech figures, and the dreaded infographic.

• Foreign Language Wiki:  TWO SECTIONS: (1) conventions for the Foreign Language Community;  and (2) resources for pronunciations of words in many different foreign languages, ranging from Amharic and Punjabi to Lithuanian and Lang Belta, as well as a section on science terminology (because science is a language of its own).

• Law Links: hints for learning how to say all those convoluted abbreviations used in legalese.

• Math Reading Guidelines: does your history book suddenly, bizarrely, have a math equation in it?  Try this document to learn how to read that unholy aberration.

• Science Terms and Conventions: Did the authors of the writing style guide you’re reading use examples from a science text?  Go to this document for help with that situation.

• Writing/Style Guide Conventions: all we have on reading those crazy writing and style guides.

• Checking Instructions: examples of good versus bad wave forms and instructions for leaving kind yet informative notes to Narrators/Readers.

• Project Guidelines Help Sheet: help for learning what is meant by the various terminology used in your Project Guidelines.

• Recommended Equipment list: equipment recommendations from Textbook Community staff

• Upcoming Absence form: form to let staff know when you’ll be absent for more than a day or two.

The Literature Community also has some useful links:

• Audition Reminders: directions for submitting an audition for a Lit project

• Book Trailer Request form:  application to have staff create a trailer from your completed Lit project

• Literature Conventions:  general reading conventions for Lit projects

• Literature Fast-track Summary & FAQ:  information for Narrators working outside of EasyBooks

• Narrators: instructions for Narrators

• Listeners: instructions for Listeners

• Recommended Equipment list: equipment recommendations from the Lit Community staff

Software & Apps:  just what you think it would be

• Welcome to webEB!: gives EasyBook users a look at the differences between the two

• webEB Reference Guide: place to go to access directions and links for using our new web-based software: no more worry about what type of computer you use, or all the files building up on your device!

• EasyBooks for PC Reference Guide: guide to all things EasyBooks

• EasyBooks (PC):  instructions for EasyBooks for PC; includes link to latest version

• Google Hangouts Extension install link:  link to install Google Hangouts

• Adobe Reader install link:  link to install Adobe Reader

• Chrome install link:  link to install Chrome

General: a catch-all for some items that didn’t fit in the other categories:

• Common Abbreviations: directions for reading a variety of abbreviations

• Reference Links: links to online dictionaries, etc.

• Try out LAABS!:  directions for using the Learning Ally Audio Book Solution--check out the user experience on the books you’ve worked on

• Volunteer Submitted photo album: a place for volunteers to share photos

• Meet the Team:  image and brief audio for each staff member

• Hangouts: document with links to various Hangouts for meeting other volunteers and staff

Volunteer Nation Live! Events:  links to the all the VNL webinars

Training Resources:  Links to a variety of Mini-Lesson, Videos, and Documents; in the top paragraph there is a link to the Virtual Training Center

So, as you can see: even when staff are off-duty, you’re never far from a source of help!  Dive into this tab full of great resources, and see what you find.