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Dear Colleagues, Following is a summary of responses to my question on setting up a 'scanning workstation', which several members asked me to summarize for the list. I'm sure you'll find this information as useful as I have. Thanks again to all those who responded! Irene Puchalski Librarian Shore + Moffat Library Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design University of Toronto [log in to unmask] Original question: I would like to set up a scanning workstation in the library and am interested in hearing from those with such a set-up. What kind of equipment and software are you using? Any recommendations? Any pitfalls? Who troubleshoots when there are problems...library staff or IT staff? Is your material being seriously damaged by scanning (i.e. broken spines). Anything else I should know? Responses: Because of the many "Library Use Only" materials in our library, the first piece of equipment I requested when I got here was a scanner. We have a dedicated workstation at one end of our L-shaped circ counter (not the business end). It is a stand-up station, no chair or stool. The scanner is used every day and is the single most used piece of equipment in the library. Hardware: MicroTek ScanMaker 4 scanner, Power Macintosh G3 w/ 100 MB zip drive Software: Adobe Photoshop 4.0 (not latest version), minimum installation There is a note on the machine informing patrons that the station is for scanning only, not for image manipulation--that's why only the minimum installation of Photoshop needed for scanning and no chair! The patrons can save the image to a zip disk (we made sure it was compatible with the media labs on campus, though they are rapidly going to 250 MB, so we will have to upgrade at some point), or they can upload it to their folder on the university's server to download later at a lab, at home, etc. I taught our staff how to scan--it's really pretty simple, the manuals are on the workstation, too (but they are not very helpful). We keep barebones scanning instructions next to the workstation. Many of our patrons already know how to use the equipment.We troubleshoot except for hardware problems which we refer to Systems (IT). So far materials are not suffering. We always examine our Closed Stack materials to determine whether or not they can be photocopied or scanned without damage. Our scanner has a bed that accomodates a legal sized sheet. (Items may be reduced when scanned, but patrons don't usually want to do that.) I would recommend that you go no smaller than that, unless your collection is all miniatures ;-) This size does not accomodate all of our folios, but the greatest demand in our library is for that size or smaller, so we manage fine. Shannon Van Kirk, [log in to unmask] Head, Art & Architecture Library, Miami University, Oxford, OH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here at the Reference Library, we are setting up a Digital Design Studio on the first floor. It will be a fancy affair with oversized scanners, software of every kind and a Mac, etc. It was supposed to be opening this week, actually, however due to some delays in delivery, it will open in a couple of weeks. When it does, would you like me to notify you so you can take a look? Margaret English, [log in to unmask] Toronto Reference Library ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For a few semesters now, the library here has had the following equipment: Hewlett Packard ScanJet 6200C, operating with Hewlett Packard Precision Scan Pro 1.01 software. Yes, the structure of some of the material may be compromised, given the modest dimensions of the screen (9 x 12”) but the security of the materials, especially the serials, is greatly enhanced, since students no longer have reason to remove them from the library if they wish to incorporate images into their Autocad & Photoshop presentations. Adobe Photoshop 5.0 is installed at the workstation, but since all the computers in the building are on the academic network, students can save the images to their accounts, move to one of the labs if they prefer, and work with those images elsewhere. The disadvantage in this is that students must log in whenever they sit down at one of the work stations, and, if they simply want to consult the OPAC, they must log in, a procedure which seems to be slower each semester. With some persistence on my part, there is one work station in the library with no login requirement and with a connection to the OPAC. Scanning instructions, tested for user friendliness by me, who had never scanned anything previously, were developed by the library associate here. Although the academic systems coordinator installed the equipment, he is not terribly available, and, fortunately, problems have been few. There is surprisingly little intervention needed; the instructions seem to be clear. Since there is no charge for printing at this institution yet, although there is for photocopying, a few of the saavier students use the scanner as a copier. My feeling is that, if the institution chooses not to charge for printing, all the power to them. The printer nearest the scanner work station is a Hewlett Packard LaserJet 6MP, but another advantage of the network is that students can print to any device on the network, including the plotters. Also operating with the software is a Polaroid Sprint Scan 35 slide scanner, which library staff use for mounting review sessions onto one of the school's Web sites. Paul Glassman, [log in to unmask] Director of the Library, New York School of Interior Design ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are setting up a scanning station here. Our current plan is to have the library computer staff support it. We will be running the latest version of Photoshop on a powerful Mac. We had a scanning station at the Art Library at Cornell University where I used to work and it was a very popular item, esp. since we have a color copier attached. The set-up there was not as successful because we were asking the machine to do too much; in addition to scanning and the Internet we had two 6 bay CD towers and all the accompaning software loaded; not a good idea! We have a color copier/scanner/printer (just arrived last week!) which will be attached to the scanning station when it is set up, probably next month. Our scanner will be 12" x 17"; since studio artists will be major users we want to give them maximum flexibility. We are charging 50 cents a print but NOT guaranteeing print quality. (Print at your own risk is our motto!) Printing Services on campus will do color copies for $1 a page and guarantee quality, so we will send the casual user there. At Cornell we had a HP color printer and it was wonderful. Barbara Q. Prior, [log in to unmask] Head, The Clarence Ward Art Library Oberlin College ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the Visual Arts Library we have two scanning workstations for students to scan images from books that do not circulate. We are using G4 computers that run the Macintosh 9.1 operating system. Each G4 is connected to it's own Microtek ScanMaker (we have one ScanMaker III and one ScanMaker 4 which also scans slides). Our scanners have 17" screens and that size seems to work fine for us. We have found the ScanMaker software not too complicated and have tried to have written instructions at the scanning stations. We also use Photoshop 5.5 for image manipulation but we encourage students to work on their images in other labs at the school. Students must sign up at the circulation desk to use the scanners and they must leave their school ID. They have only 1 1/2 hours to do their scanning. The scanners are both networked to the library's main black and white printer (HP LaserJet 8000 DN) and our color HP DeskJet 970Cxi. The color printer is located behind the circulation desk and we charge 50 cents per page. The black and white printing is free at this time. There are two part-time more technical people on the library staff and when they are here problems get referred to them. When neither of us are here, we have an assistant slide curator who knows how to scan and some student workers know how and try to help. I try to sit down with new staff and show them the basics but otherwise problems wait until one of us gets in. Myra Schechtman, [log in to unmask] Technical Coordinator, Visual Arts Library, School of Visual Arts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ARLIS-L archive has an interesting discussion on this. One that was suggested was the UMAX professional series. I am looking at the UMAX Powerlook 2100 XL. There is also the Epson 640 XL. I am waiting for the only dealer in the area (Boston) to obtain a display model of the UMAX. Kathy Ritter, Librarian, [log in to unmask] Art Reference Library, The Currier Gallery of Art -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- __________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] Administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]