Mr. Beaven,
Your question is most interesting, and raises many issues.
The current preservation standard is to microfilm, not scan. So, if we
are discussing presentation of an image for access, the possibilities are many
and the mitigating factors are mind boggling.
If you can scan the image in a bi-tonal format and capture the
informational value, then file size is not an issue.
If the contrast is minimal, then you need color, possibly millions of them
(file size increases exponentially).
We have scanned documents where the text is not visible to the eye, and
recovered the information by using enhancement features.
The value to a researcher is high, but is the item valuable to a
large enough portion of your audience to justify the high cost in time to
recover the image? Do you have the bandwidth and/or software to deliver the
image to your clients in an amount of time that will not cost you their good
will? Or is the item of such value that people are willing to wait for a large
download?
In response to whether we are trying to display the document as it was when
it was created, or as it is today, in digitizing, we are doing neither to from
an analog original.
What we need to know in order to make the decision of whether to scan or
not is:
...the value of the item(s) in regard to information, artifact, and
evidence.
...the added value of the item as a commodity for publicity,
marketing and customer service.
...whether we have the ability to create and deliver (adequately) an
enhanced image with our current hardware and software limitations.
...are we willing to commit people and assets to develop the ability to
retain and deliver this product.
... and many more ....
If the final decision is to make an image available, then we
should definitely present the image with the metadata defining the creation
of the file. This is beneficial to others undertaking the same type of projects,
and it is pro-active for the eventuality of this image becoming a legal
document.
And then there is the decision about presentation. For example, should
an untouched image of the document be presented beside of the enhancement
altered version (for comparison)?
I'm pretty sure that's not the half of it.....
Cathy Brown, CA
Information Management Archivist North Carolina State Archives Raleigh, NC 27601 919-733-3952 My opinions... .
ESSE QUAM VIDERI --
To be rather than to seem |