Digitization of microforms

In response to the message in Instance 8:56 from Pam Bjornson,
concerning the digitisation of microforms, there has been quite a lot of
informed discussion on this issue in both the electronic and print
media, including reports on projects. Most of  these are about Project
Open Book at Yale University Library (Conway 1994, Conway and Weaver
1994, Waters and Weaver 1992) with the seminal paper by Waters (1991)
and useful background information by Willis (1993).

    **** Moderator's comments: With the exception of Conway 1994, each
    of these documents is available in
    Conservation OnLine. Gopher to palimpsest.stanford.edu (or use a web
    client to connect to http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/ and then select
    'Gopher') and then select
      Browse by Organization
        Commission on Preservation and Access
          Reports

I've also noticed that the IMAGELIB listserver has carried a number of
'threads' on the subject as well as discussion on at least two of the
scanning systems 'Screen scan' and 'Mekel' equipment (909 594-5158).
IMAGELIB is at listserv [at] listserv__arizona__edu. Monthly logs of IMAGELIB
archives can be retrieved from this address by sending the command INDEX
IMAGELIB. You can then order these files with a GET IMAGELIB LOGxxxx
command; where GET IMAGELIB LOG9406 would retrieve archived messages
from June 1994 (the first month of operation), LOG9407 gets July 1994,
etc.

IMAGELIB also maintains a clearinghouse of image database projects.  You
can get to this in several ways. Point your gopher to gopher
dizzy.library.arizona.edu, or telnet sabio.arizona.edu (and move to the
gopher menus).  You can then navigate to "Image..." and then to the
"Clearinghouse...".  There may be other ways I don't know about.

The current list of sources I consult is:

    Conway, Paul, 'Digitizing Preservation', Library Journal, 1 February
    1994, pp.42-45. Gives list of pilot imaging projects.

    Conway, Paul and Shari Weaver, 'The setup phase of Project Open
    Book', Washington, D.C.: Commission on Preservation and Access,
    1994.

    IMAGELIB clearinghouse (telnet sabio.arizona.edu or gopher
    dizzy.library.arizona.edu)

    IMAGELIB listserver (listserv [at] listserv__arizona__edu)

    Waters, Donald J., 'From microfilm to digital imagery: on the
    feasibility of a project to study the means, costs and benefits of
    converting large quantities of preserved materials from microfilm to
    digital images', Washington, D.C.: Commission on Preservation and
    Access, 1991.

    Waters, Donald J. and Shari Weaver, 'The organizational phase of
    Project Open Book', Washington, D.C.: Commission on Preservation and
    Access, 1992.

    Willis, Don, 'The Resolution Factor...', in Janice Mohlenrich (ed.),
    'Preservation of electronic formats & electronic formats for
    preservation', Fort Atkinson, W.I.: Highsmith Press, 1993.

Alan Howell
Preservation Manager
State Library of New South Wales
Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
+61 2 230 1679
Fax: +61 2 232 4816

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:65
                 Distributed: Sunday, February 19, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-65-006
                                  ***