Preparing for digitisation Skill session 15 September 2007

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1 Preparing for digitisation Skill session 15 September 2007

2 This session s objectives To gain a better understanding of: What equipment you ll need for a digitisation project How to preserve your images before and after digitisation What makes an image a good candidate for digitisation What skills you will need to digitise your collection

3 What is digitisation? Our working definition: Process of converting a physical, analogue item into a digital format Example 1 converting oral histories on magnetic tape into digital sound files Example 2 scanning photographic prints to digital image files

4 Why digitise? Three broad reasons: Access benefits available 24x7, worldwide access, reach remote sites, enhance use Preservation benefits less handling, keep originals in ideal conditions, less chance of theft Institutional benefits publicity, prestige, meet public expectations, enhance awareness

5 3 vital components You will need: EQUIPMENT PICTURES SKILLS

6 Equipment Consists of: Hardware Software Preservation supplies

7 Hardware You will need: Computer desirable to have at least 2GHz, CD/DVD burner and large hard drive Monitor LCD/CRT (calibrated) Image capture device digital camera, flatbed scanner, film scanner etc.

8 Digital cameras The pros and the cons Can capture 2-D and 3-D images over large field size Rapid image capture and minimal physical impact Lower output resolution than scanners Require moderate skill level to operate Need to be wary of file types supported particularly RAW/uncompressed files

9 Flatbed scanners The pros and the cons Relatively inexpensive, accessible and easy to use Capability to handle transparent originals Exposes items to heat and radiation Cannot be used for 3-D objects Large variety in specifications and capabilities

10 Flatbed scanners Important features Resolution at least 2400ppi optical resolution Colour depth at least 24-bit RGB Minimise noise Quick scanning speeds Special attachments eg. for slides USB 2.0 or Firewire interface

11 Software needs 3 types of software required: Scanning software usually bundled with scanner, eg. HP Scanjet or Canoscan Image editing software range in options, from Adobe Photoshop ($1000 or more), Elements ($200 approx) or GIMP/Irfanview (free) Image management software library systems, Pictures Perfect, Insight, PQ system (& others)

12 Preservation supplies Some useful items: Uncoated polyester sleeves (eg. Mylar) Cotton tape 100% cellulose paper Oven bags Archival boxes 4-B lead pencils

13 Preservation tips Avoid the following when it comes to your images: Just say no to laminating! Post-it notes, sticky tape or metal paper clips Storing material against external walls Storing material in contact with: wooden shelves, acidic paper, PVC plastics Exposing images to high levels of light (natural and artificial)

14 Digital preservation Part 1 Use a digitisation policy to guide which images are selected for preservation Employ a migration strategy for your data move it consistently to the newest storage facilities available (eg. floppy disk CD external hard drive) Back up your files

15 Digital preservation Part 2 Don t rely on CDs for long-term storage Capture images at the highest resolution available (given storage and technology available) Use open file formats TIFF for preservation, JPEG for access copies. These are universal standards

16 Selecting images An ideal candidate for digitisation will: Not have been digitised by another organisation Be out of copyright or you have permission from the copyright holder to digitise Be in high public demand Be in acceptable physical condition Have accompanying descriptive information Be cost-effective to digitise Be significant to your organisation s collecting brief Have had any necessary cultural clearances made

17 Copyright Very brief points Copyright applies automatically Images taken before 1955 out of copyright Images taken after 1955 copyright lasts for the life of the photographer plus 70 years

18 Approaches to copyright 3 basic approaches Obtain permissions contact rightsholder and get them to transfer copyright or grant nonexclusive licence Risk management for orphan works, digitise with a disclaimer. Remove it if there s a problem Don t proceed no permission, no digitisation

19 Digitisation skills Things you will need to know how to do: Select images that are appropriate for digitisation Scan and edit images to accepted standards Catalogue images so that they are findable

20 Selection You will need to be able to: Ascertain the copyright status of an image and obtain any necessary clearances Assess the cultural significance of each image Assess the physical condition of each image Gather background information for each image

21 Scanning The following is recommended for each image: Scanned and saved in TIFF format Saved at 600ppi (b&w) or 400ppi (colour) resolution Sized to 6000 pixels across (b&w) or 4000 pixels (colour) Image adjusted to maintain integrity of original photograph

22 Cataloguing Full, accurate, consistent records created to your standard of choice Dublin Core VRA Core CDWA MARC

23 Queensland Snooker Museum Imaginary example #1 Volunteer-run Documents history of snooker in Queensland Want to begin digitisation project of their photographic collection

24 Queensland Snooker Museum (Actually National Archives image no. J2364, 1313/8)

25 Snooker photographs Nature of collection 1,200 photographs from s Mixture of copy prints and originals Majority of collection out of copyright

26 Technical set-up Hardware, software and preservation PC with CD burner and Adobe Elements 2.0 Canon 8600F scanner Will make images available through FlickR Photographs rehoused in Albox archival albums Archival digital files backed up to external hard drive

28 Project workflow 1200 photographs in collection 200 selected for digitisation, 1000 rehoused into albums Gather information on backing sheets and include with selected images Scan high resolution image in TIFF format stored on external hard drive Create compressed JPEGs upload to FlickR Add metadata and taps for online display

29 Pictaminda Library Imaginary example #2 Country town in south-west Queensland Population 5,300 Industry: Sheep, cattle, wheat, praying for rain Ex-gold mining, founded in 1885

30 Main Street, Pictaminda

31 Pictaminda Shire Library Reasonably well-resourced and well-patronised library 3 x staff (Rebecca, Julie and Brett) Located in Main Street, Pictaminda Open Tuesday Saturday, 10am 4:30pm

32 Photographic collection What does it include? Original photographic prints from the 1920s 1970s 35mm negatives Positive slides 3 photograph albums Copy prints of photographs form the 1890s

33 Storage How is it stored? In shoe boxes, plastic containers and albums Located in the storage room behind the loans desk

34 Library objectives The Library decides they want to: Ensure that the photographs don t physically detetoriate any more Display their photographs to the local community and to remote users, promoting awareness Gather together information for an official local history Actively collect more historical photographs

35 Pictaminda s plan Pictaminda decides to: Engage in a digitisation project in conjunction with State Library s Picture Queensland service, to acquire, scan and make available 200 of their most significant and interesting pictures

36 Project plan Team: Rebecca and Julie (Brett s on holidays) Aim: To select, scan and catalogue 200 images Budget: $1,500 in grant funding Duration: six months

37 Equipment Staff PC (with CD burner) Adobe Photoshop Elements ($250) HP Flatbed scanner (cost $500) Archival cardboard boxes and albums Mylar plastic sleeves

38 Physical condition Pictaminda preserved their collection by: Rehousing prints into mylar sleeves Putting sleeves within archival boxes Keeping boxes in well-ventilated area in the council building next door Ensuring temperature and humidity was kept constant within the accepted ranges (18-20C and 40-55% relative humidity)

39 Selecting images Things Pictaminda needs to consider: Digitisation status has anybody else scanned it before? (check PictureAustralia) Copyright status is it out of copyright (pre-1955) or do you have permission from the owner? Significance is it of value to the history of the region?

40 Selecting images Pictaminda s selection 200 images based on four key themes: 1. Local agriculture 2. The mining boom 3. Local small businesses 4. Sport and recreation

41 Scanning images Scanning workflow Scan images to standard resolution Edit images in Adobe Elements Save images using consistent filenaming system Save images locally and to CD Send CD to State Library to be loaded

42 Scanning standards Picture Queensland standards for image capture Black-and-white: TIFF format; 600ppi resolution; 6000 pixels on longest side; 8-bit greyscale Colour: TIFF format; 400ppi resolution; 4000 pixels on longest side; 24-bit greyscale See:

43 Cataloguing images Pictaminda s workflow Consult local historians to get background information Use Picture Queensland web form to create records for each image Enter as many fields as possible Ensure consistency with cataloguing standards Records go straight through to State Library

44 Picture Queensland web form

45 Displaying images 200 images displayed on Picture Queensland Pictaminda feature created on Contributors page Public awareness increased via exposure Increase in public feedback on images, identifying people in photographs etc.

47 For more information See Resources section of your handouts Picture Queensland resources page: Gavin Bannerman, Outreach Librarian, (07)

State Library of Queensland Digitisation Toolkit: Scanning and capture guide for image-based material

State Library of Queensland Digitisation Toolkit: Scanning and capture guide for image-based material Introduction While the term digitisation can encompass a broad range, for the purposes of this guide,