Scanners and photocopiers

Anne E. Downey <adowney<-a t->amphilsoc< . >org>

>Our library is interested in purchasing either a book scanner or a
>photocopier with a bevel-edge platen for producing copies from bound
>volumes.  I am concerned that a scanner (in addition to being
>expensive) will be time-consuming and difficult to operate.  Can
>anyone comment on their experiences with either type of machine?

We photocopied thousands of pages from 19th century casebooks using
a photocopier with a bevel-edge platen.  The copies were excellent,
but having to lift the volumes and reposition them for every page
took a toll on the fragile volumes, not to mention being tiring (the
volumes were large and heavy) and time consuming.  Then we
discovered overhead digital photography.  First we bought a smallish
camera stand, but found with the size of our volumes we needed to go
higher.  Our photography department had an old but totally
functional polaroid MP4 Land Camera stand that it never used and
which we acquired.  It's mounted on a wall (it's large and very
stable) over a wide desk.  We haven't looked back.

Our Canon DSLR camera connects directly to a computer, from which it
is controlled.  Images are saved straight into the appropriate
folder and most importantly the volumes are hardly handled for the
entire process. They sit on a large beanbag cushion which is moved
to get the best angle for the photo, rather than moving the volume.
I'd never go back to photocopying or scanning.

Best of luck with you project.

Robyn Waymouth
Archivist
Archives Department
The Royal Women's Hospital
Locked Bag 300
Cnr Grattan Street and Flemington Road
Parkville VIC 3052
+61 3 8345 3905


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:26
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