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Re: scanning brittle books



In most of the literature I have read on imaging rare/fragile items, it is
recommended to sleeve/encapsulate brittle items when they are scanned on a
flatbed (not a concern if you are using a digital camera or overhead
scanner). Not only does this protect your document, but protects your
scanner from paper "flakes" that will likely break while handling the
document.

We have had an interesting situation concenring mylar and scanning. We are
currently scanning some old, color real estate maps from one of our
collections. Early in the project I performed some test scans, with and
without mylar encapsulation, as I was setting benchmarks for the project.
Curiously enough, I found that CLEAN (note the emphasis) mylar acted as a
natural filter for the harsh yellows that were accentuated in the scanned
image. I did a blind survey (passed out prints of the same image but
different scan settings to staff, did not tell them what was what, and asked
them what was best) and the results were unanimously in favor of a scan from
an original encaspulated in mylar. Granted, this was not very scientific (7
respondents), but the difference was quite noticable, even on the monitor
(72dpi). Softening the background colors also helped bring out the pencil
notations on the maps.

I am curious if others have had similar experiences.

Happy weekend,

Michael C. Miller
Special Collections Librarian
Dallas Public Library, Texas/Dallas History & Archives Division
1515 Young St.
Dallas TX 75201
214-670-1440
mmiller@dallaslibrary.org
Visit us at: http://dallaslibrary.org
Search our catalog: http://catalog.dallaslibrary.org



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Burt Altman [SMTP:baltman@MAILER.FSU.EDU]
> Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 6:51 PM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      scanning brittle books
>
> We are planning a project to scan some brittle books containing color
> illustrations, to make these images accessible on a website.  We will be
> using a flat-bed scanner. Because the books are so fragile and the pages
> have become loose, it is likely that we will have to handle each page
> individually.
>
> Has anyone on the list had experience in digitizing brittle books and can
> offer some suggestions as to how best to support the pages as they are
> placed on the scanner?  For example, would a mylar sleeve, sealed at one
> end, provide good support?
>
> Please reply to my e-mail address, and I'll be happy to summarize for the
> list.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Burt Altman, Archivist
> Claude Pepper Library
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
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> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>