Digitization Specifications

File Formats

All still images (textual materials and photos) will be scanned as TIFFs and stored on URI's secure server.

In determining minimum digitization standards for the Library, we have consulted several resources:

ALCTS Minimum Digitization Capture Recommendations

Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative

UMass Amherst Libraries Guidelines for Digitization

Photographs (general guidelines)

Determining a resolution for photographs can vary greatly. In general, you want to ensure a high enough pixel measurement along the long edge of the digital object. As the photos get larger, aim for a higher pixel measurement (see chart below, and FADGI and ALCTS recommendations).

To determine what resolution to use, first measure the long edge of the photo. Then, consulting the chart below, see how many pixels you'll need on the long edge of the digital object. Divide the number of pixels by the number of inches to get your resolution. For example: Take a 5"x7" photo. You're aiming for 4000 pixels on the long edge. The dpi would be 4000/7 = 571. Round up to 600 dpi.

For on-demand scanning, you may need to test a few different resolutions and settings to see what produces the best result.

Still/Static Images

Color Space and Bit Depth

For each new project, we will complete a test of various color spaces (black/white, grayscale, color) and resolutions, and do a visual assessment of the results. Color space and bit depth will be determined by the type of material and the size of the smallest significant character. In general, we are following the ALCTS and FADGI guidelines.

The guidelines below are to be used as general reference points, especially for on-demand scanning where we will not do extensive sampling before digitization.

Textual Materials (general guidelines)