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Re: Digital Copiers?



National Archives has posted some general guidelines relative to "the
characteristics of archival quality electrostatic copying" at
http://www.nara.gov/arch/techinfo/reformat/tip5.html

This is based on a 1987 GPO report, but the page includes links to more
current standards and ALA guidelines plus suggestions for testing the
quality of reproduction.  It won't tell you if digital copiers are "good,"
but it might provide ideas for questions to ask the vendor about the quality
of the copy.

We have been using a digital copier for about 18 months now: a Savin 9935DPE
(Ricoh makes the Savin brand, so if you are looking at those two companies'
models, they are essentially the same).  When we went out to bid we had
responses from Savin, Ricoh and Konica.

Toner composition is Styrene Acrylic Polymer, Carbon Black, Wax and Dye and
some "Contents Partially Unknown."  NARA recommends that only toners
containing "carbon black" should be used, so you might want to ask the
copier manufacturer about the contents of the toner cartridges that are
needed for their models. Resolution on our copier is 600 dpi, though there
are models out there with 300 dpi or 400 dpi. Grayscale is 256 levels.
Manufacturer websites should list the specifications for the various models
you might be looking at.

Thought I haven't used the system (yet) for preservation copying, I love the
system for general office work.  I had it networked to my PC and can use it
to print out larger documents and give it duplex, sort and staple commands
from the PC.  I can put various papers in the trays and select the tray I
want to use for my print command.  (One disadvantage:  I can't duplex legal
size papers...or at least I haven't figured out how to do it yet.) I could
also hook our fax to it.  On occasion I scan general office documents (up to
600 dpi) off the copier.  (It's useful for distribution.  If I have a
document that should be distributed to multiple departments, it's much
easier to scan, convert to pdf (separate program), and send via e-mail.)  We
also have a number of standard forms or documents which are repeatedly used
in the copier's memory.  (Resolves the problem of someone ignoring that "Do
Not Use - Last Copy" warning which is sometimes ignored.)

We have not used the copier for preservation copying, but toner adherence is
very good and I believe the copies would test out well.  Good luck!

Paul R. Bergeron
City Clerk
229 Main Street
Nashua, NH 03060
Telephone: 603/589-3010
Fax: 603/589-3029
http://www.gonashua.com/



-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Sokolow [mailto:DSokolow@NSHS.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, March 12, 2002 8:56 AM
To: ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
Subject: Digital Copiers?


'lo All,

I've been informed (twice, in fact, thanks to glitches in our email system)
that we're going to be getting brand spankin'-new digital copiers, replacing
our (semi) trusty old standard Xerox (TM) machine.

Frankly, I've never heard of a digital copier, and I'd like some input if
anyone has experience with these new-fangled machines.  Are there
preservation issues I should be aware of?  Is the toner (if there is any)
somehow different from standard copiers?  Anything else?

I do use the copier for occasional preservation copying, and I'd like to
know what to know about it.

Daniel (Luddism is startin' to look REAL good right now) Sokolow

______________________________________
Daniel Sokolow, Archives Coordinator
David Taylor Archives
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
155 Community Drive
Great Neck, NY 11021
mailto:dsokolow@nshs.edu

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