1. Scanning Standards

FILES AND FILE FORMATS

An Archival Master TIFF and a Production Master JPEG should be generated for all items scanned in Watson Library.

Archival Master File

The primary function of the Archival Master File is to serve as a long-term archival record and as a source for derivative files.

• File format: TIFF, uncompressed
• Resolution: 300 dpi, no interpolation
• Bit-depth: 24-bit Color
• The first TIFF (Zeutschel) or set of TIFFs (Atiz) shall be accompanied by an custom color/grayscale target (currently Kodak Q13 8” using this method). Subsequent TIFFs may also have color targets at the project manager’s discretion.
• Image post-processing:
  • None. Leave at least a quarter-inch border around all sides of the scan (including the gutter of a book).
• Metadata: None (technical metadata is automatically be embedded in the file; descriptive metadata is added in CONTENTdm).
• Folder and file naming:
  • Project folder: name for the overall project (e.g. MMA Publications)
  • Items in a project: name using the bibliographic record number minus the check digit (e.g. b1463533)
  • If no bibliographic record exists, file naming schema will vary
  • Individual TIFFs: bib number and 3 digits separated by an underscore (e.g. b1463533_001)
• Storage:
  • WatScans network drive [\\mma\shares\WatScans] in “_Archival Master TIFFs\[project name]” folder

Production Master

The Production Master file is derived from the Archival Master File, and is the file that will be edited and compressed (via Omniscan, Photoshop, or Book Drive Editor) for optimum display and speed.

• Compression:
  • Omniscan: JPEG Quality 80
  • Photoshop: Quality 7
  • Book Drive Editor: 80
• Resolution: 300dpi, no interpolation
• Bit-depth: 24-bit Color
• Image post-processing:
  • Rotate (if necessary)
  • Deskew
  • Crop
    • For items where recognition of the artifactual or graphical features of the item is the primary goal (e.g. photographs, manuscript letters, etc.), leave roughly 1/8” around the edge of the page.
    • For books or other printed materials, crop to the inside of the margin and ensure that no black (or white) space is visible beyond the page edge.
      • Do not crop out marginalia.
    • Always crop out the color target
• Metadata: None (technical metadata is automatically be embedded in the file; descriptive metadata is added in CONTENTdm)
• Folder and file naming:
  • Same as Archival Master TIFF naming convention
• Storage:
  • WatScans network drive [\\mma\shares\WatScans] in “_Production Master JPEGs\[project name]” folder

ADDITIONAL SCANNING GUIDELINES (based on Library of Congress American Memory Project)

Book Covers

• Do scan covers (front and back) when the cover includes typography or illustrations that are original to the book, and when a legible image can be produced.
• Do not scan the covers of books that will not render a legible image.
• Do not scan covers which are generic library bindings.
• Do not scan covers which are devoid of any marking except the Library's call number.
• If covers are scanned, scan each page inside the book, including end pages which may be blank.

Inside Pages

• If book covers are not scanned, the first page of the book to be scanned shall be the first page containing significant information. Examples include a page containing a copyright stamp that precedes the title page, the title page itself, or end papers containing significant information, such as a map.
  • Pages that contain no printed information but that contain handwritten inscriptions, notes, marginalia or other written ephemera shall be scanned.
• Scanning of the remainder of the book shall continue in sequence, including blank pages.
• End papers shall only be scanned if they contain significant information, such as a map. End papers that are merely decorative shall not be scanned. Blank pages or blank pages with stray pen or pencil marks shall not be scanned.