Maryland State Archives

With the recently completed adjustments to the Bookcopy scanner it is now a simple, easy to use unit, ready for production work. I was able to complete scans of the chancery record liber requested yesterday. I think the imaging produced by the scanner of the chancery record is quite good, clear and legible. Viewed from a production perspective, it is quite interesting. The output specifications on this machine are not equivalent to the large Zeutschel in On Demand. For example, the output resolution is only 300 dpi. The machine is specifically intended for general access, and not for high resolution preservation imaging. Within that limitation the quality is very acceptable. The rate of production is very good, especially when compared to traditional microfilming. I was able to scan 239 frames of the liber in under 40 minutes. The volume was shot two pages per frame, meaning 477 individual pages. Therefore, I was scanning at approximately 6 scans per minute. This allowed me to handle the volume without rushing, to inspect each frame for clarity, and to confirm that every page had in fact been imaged. I would have to add that I have the advantage of having shot a half million frames of microfilm myself, and so have a good sense of how to handle documents for imaging. That played a role in how quickly the volume shot. Even so, the Bookcopy is a sensible machine for the purposes for which it is designed (now that it is properly adjusted) and can be used effectively to safely copy documents and reduce workloads on the imaging staff.