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Baton Rouge Room: Scan Day Guide

This page will help patrons learn about and search the Baton Rouge Room collection.

East Baton Rouge Parish Library Patron Use of Scanners Policy

Scan Day Quick Guide

Scan Day Quick Guide

  1. Place image face down on scanner and close lid.
  2. Preview
  3. Outline the area you wish to scan (click, hold, drag mouse). Adjust box as needed (double arrows).
  4. Scan
  5. Choose directory for output of files (only do this for the first scan it will remain the same throughout your session).
  6. Add file name.
  7. Select file type (TIF for preservation/master file, PDF for text documents, JPEG for working copies)
  8. Select OK
  9. Single click file once completed to preview.  Close out/minimize directory once finished.
  10. Repeat

*** If you are scanning twice (one preservation copy and one working copy) repeat steps 4 through 9.

 

Standards

Digitization Standards

Type of Record/Size Resolution
Document/Newspaper 300ppi
Photographs
     -Longest side 2" or less 2000ppi
     -Longest side 3" or less 1335ppi
     -Longest side 4" or less 1000ppi
     -Longest side 5" or less 800ppi
     -Longest side 6" or less 670ppi
     -Longest side 7" or less 575ppi
     -Longest side 8" or less 550ppi
     -Longest side 9" or less 500ppi
     -Longest side 10" or less 400ppi
Manuscripts (hand written, or typed copies) 300ppi
Type of media Access/Use copy Preservation copy
Document/Newspaper PDF PDF/A*
Photographs jpeg/png TIFF
Manuscripts jpeg/pdf TIFF

*You cannot scan to PDF/A.  PDF/A is an archival specification for PDF.  Once something has been saved as a PDF/A you cannot edit or make any changes to the document.  This includes conversions to a different format. However, if you are interested in converting to PDF/A we do have that capability in the Archive.  Speak with one of the booth attendants. 

Editing Images with IrfanView

Images can be cropped or rotated using IrfanView.  To start, open the image in the software by double clicking on the the file and then follow the directions below:

To crop an image: 

  • "LEFT click on the image to determine the top left corner of where you'd like to begin your cropping and holding your left mouse button down, drag over your image to the right and in a downward motion till you 'select' the area you'd like to KEEP.  If it doesn't work right the first time, left click on it again, and drag again until you're happy with the area you'd like to save." (somewhere-in-time.net)
  • Go to "Edit" at the top of the program and select "Crop Selection." If you would like to by-pass this step you can use hot keys, Ctrl+Y.

To rotate a page: 

  • Click on "Image" and choose a rotating option.

Directions

Digitizing Personal Photographs

1.) Place photograph image-side down on scanner surface and close lid.

2.) Open the Epson Scanner software.  There is an icon on the desktop. A control panel will open to perform the scanning function.

3.) Select the "Preview" button on the lower left of the scan window.  A separate window will open to show a preview of the image to be scanned. 

4.) Once the preview has been generated, use your mouse curser to select the area you want to scan (hold left mouse down to outline image). Otherwise, the scanner will think you want to scan the entire surface of the scanner bed.  (See dotted outline below).

5.) Go back to the control panel and select the small folder icon next to the "Scan" button.  A new window will open asking for a destination folder for your scan, the file format you wish to scan to, and a file name.  Fill out the information and select "Okay."

**Tips: 

  • Scan to your flash drive or external hard drive if you have one.  If you don't and need assistance setting up a cloud account through Google or some other service please ask for one of the attendants.  The library is also selling flash drives for $4 at the circulation desk. 
  • It helps to give your files meaningful names.
  • You will be making two files-- an archival copy (an uncompressed file type- TIFF, PDF/A) and an access copy (compressed and much smaller than the preservation copy- JPEG, PDF).  The access copy is the one you use when you want to post to social media, a website, or edit or make changes to. The archival copy is just that-- it preserves all the data and bits of the image so that the file will be available in the future.  

6.) Make sure all of your parameters are set in the control panel.  If you are scanning a color photograph set the Image Type to 24-bit Color.  Adjust the dpi (resolution) according to the physical size of the image to be scanned.  See the left table for more information.

7.) Select "Scan." BE PATIENT.  Depending on the size of the item and the dpi this could take a few minutes.  

8.) Navigate to the destination folder and review your image.  If you are satisfied with the output save and close the file.  Repeat the process to produce the the opposite copy (if you just generated an archival copy your next scan should be an access copy). Once complete eject your flash media or external hard drive.  

All done! If you have enjoyed your experience please share them with us! Let us know if there are any other services Special Collections might offer in the future to ensure the preservation of your memories.