Am I allowed to constructively critique a reader?

[KevinS]

I promise never to express an opinion again.

Opinions of a general nature---polite ones---are welcome here. It's hard not to take some things personally, I know, and equally difficult is to fight the desire to correct every wrong. I try to look toward the larger purpose of LibriVox in providing texts for readers with visual disabilities and to others who simple enjoy listening rather than reading. Not every text or reader will please everyone. That is the way of the world.

And there are some things that might be worth the listen even if not all that well done. (I think of the bulk of my readings!)

[quartertone]

Is there any way to directly contact the reader with this information?

If i might offer what might be an unpopular opinion:

The PL guidelines are for Proof Listeners who have the job of making sure the recording are "good enough"

For you as a regular listener, there's nothing to stop you from finding the reader's catalog profile page by clicking on their name in the Reader column of the catalog page, finding their forum profile page by searching their name, and sending them a private message.

This thread may have soured your desire to give feedback, but if the critique is offered gently and with kindness (via Private Message), it may be appreciated. Or not. Who's to know.

Personally, if I were consistently mispronouncing certain words, i would want to know so i can correct it on future encounters.

[redrun]

Personally, if I were consistently mispronouncing certain words, i would want to know so i can correct it on future encounters.

That is what we have the 'CC' or 'Constructive Criticism' tag for. Not all PL-ers will feel comfortable offering "enhanced feedback" (pronunciations do differ widely, particularly where English is a "common" but second language!), but many will point out things like this that they notice, if asked.

The CC tag does apply only to the PL-er, as you may have surmised. Separately, if you want to put on your forum profile (or want to mention when posting to projects) that you would like this kind of feedback from listeners, then anyone ready to offer that feedback in the way you describe will see it, and go right ahead and do so. Otherwise, they really should not.

Lastly, if you'd like to see comments on your own recording which are posted outside of LibriVox and beyond our control, you're welcome to go looking. Your project's page on Archive.org is one place, and at least one third-party app has its own repository of comments.

For you as a regular listener, there's nothing to stop you from finding the reader's catalog profile page by clicking on their name in the Reader column of the catalog page, finding their forum profile page by searching their name, and sending them a private message.

I'm sorry if this was explained in a wishy-washy way, but this is not a matter of opinion, unpopular or otherwise. This is a matter of LibriVox policy:

If you happen to be proof listening for this reader, AND they specifically ask for notes on pronunciation, then you may mention it to them. Otherwise, it would be a blatant violation of our "no unasked-for criticism" rule: https://wiki.librivox.org/index.php?title=Forum_Policies#No_Unasked-For_Criticism

And if that policy is presumed not to apply in a given case, see the policy on "Thanking a Reader" for clarification (emphasis added):

It is LibriVox Policy that we do not allow unasked-for negative criticism of LibriVox recordings. If you want to give feedback to a reader, please only mention the good points. This policy applies to public forum posts as well as private messages (PMs) or emails to readers.

I don't like to be so blunt, some things just need to be said forthrightly and repeatedly, for the benefit of anyone reading the thread in future:
Please do not PM readers with criticism, no matter how gently worded, unless they actually request it.
Yes, this applies when PLing also.

[quartertone]

Oerps. i totally missed that all these links were posted previously in this exact thread. I take back my clandestine suggestion.

As an aside, i think maybe these wiki articles (PL guidelines, thanking reader, forum policies) should be cross-linked via a "See Also" section at the bottom. It looks like they are all sort of connected via links in the body of the article but it would make cross referencing earlier if important links are summarize at the bottom.
I'll add this to my list of minor projects (as long as there are no objections to this modification).

[TriciaG]

Sounds like a reasonable modification to me!

[quartertone]

Hah, well it looks like I don't have the right permission to edit the Guidelines For Proof Listeners or Forum Policies wiki pages.

I did add a "See Also" section at the bottom of the Thanking a Reader. Maybe an admin can make similar changes to the other two pages.

[TriciaG]

There are now "See Also" sections on the other two Wiki pages, all 3 pages linking back to the other two.