Scanners used in libraries vary from simple flatbed scanners to Bookeye overhead scanners and large format plotters.
It seems that many libraries have not been charging for self-service patron scanning (scan on demand), as long as no printing is involved. Most libraries feel that if patrons email scans to themselves or download the scans to a jump drive or their own CD (some libraries charge $1.00 to purchase a blank CD) then it doesn't seem to warrant charging a fee.
Not all libraries have printers attached to the scanners.
For libraries using venda-card systems or e-tokens already for photocopies, a similar device would need to be attached to the scanners. For libraries without a venda-card system, then payment would be on the "honor system" and that means staff would have to be more involved.
Often with patron self-service scanning, many find that staff are called upon to provide quick tutorials on using the scanners, even if the patron does the actual scanning. Most libraries don't seem to find this problematic.
Although an income stream from charging for scans would be desirable and the money could be used for other library expenditures, the cost in terms of equipment and staff time would need to be factored in.
Some libraries charge for scans if library staff are required to do the scanning. Staff operated scanning is often the only option in Special Collections where the material to be scanned is oversized or fragile and requires special handling.
Some libraries do not have any self-service scanners so all scans are done by staff but not all charge fees for this service.
Fees for staff operated scanning and for self-service scanning range from $1.00 per page/scan to $10.00 per page/scan. Some also charge per article, some based on the difficulty of the job, or in time spent.
Some libraries' scanners are part of the campus copy service so they follow the campus-wide fee schedule.
Some museum libraries provide a low resolution locked PDF scan for their resources and follow the same fee schedule as for photocopy requests.
For those libraries that charge for scans, fees are often waived for non-profits. Some libraries do not charge their own affiliated patron base (students, faculty, curators, etc.) or do not charge faculty if items are used for instructional purposes, but they charge a fee for non-affiliated patrons.
Terrie Wilson at Michigan State University sent this link to
MSU's scanning options and fee schedule. This works in a large university setting where systems for such campus-wide scanning are in place.
Tom Caswell at the University of Florida referred me to the Executive Summary portion of
Spec Kit 288,
Scanning Services for Library Users, published in September 2005. It seems that 5.5 years ago, the same issue was under discussion and it doesn't seem to have been resolved yet.
It may be that in most libraries patrons have come to expect to be able to do their own scanning for free as long as there is no printing involved. If we were to charge for all self-service scans, how would we calculate how many to charge for...single pages versus double page spreads, large maps versus small postcards? Would we give a refund for all unusable scans? How would we know how many scans were deleted and not counted in the final tally? Do we want to have to deal with cash payments and do any patrons carry the right cash on them? If we use a venda-card system, do we have campus support or will we have to troubleshoot that machine ourselves?
It gets very complicated. I think in the final analysis, the following considerations might be helpful:
Who are your patrons and why are they using the scanners (research vs. personal business)?
What are they scanning (library materials or their own artwork, small documents or large maps and blueprints)?
How frequently do patrons need printed copies from their scans?
What types of scanners do you have and how complicated are they to use? Self-service and/or staff operated?
Do you already have a fee schedule in place for photocopying and a campus-wide venda-card system?
How many scanning requests do you handle per week/month/year?
Are self-service scanners so busy that patrons need to make advanced reservations?
How many staff members are available to assist and monitor usage and payments?
If you have no self-service scanning, is much of your staff time taken up with scanning requests that could be used for more important work?
Is this a service that does not take up much staff time, preserves your collections and engenders good will with your patrons?
Thanks again to all who sent summaries of their practices and policies. It seems like this discussion could very easily continue. If anyone has any further thoughts on the subject, please reply to all.
With best wishes,
Laurie
Laurie Whitehill Chong
Special Collections Librarian
Curator of Artists' Books
Fleet Library at RISD
2 College Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-709-5927
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