Service number 04
Digitisation and Preservation
Digitisation is a preservation decision before it is a technical one. We handle fragile and bound material carefully, capture at archival resolution, produce searchable text, and package the results so they remain readable long after the current software is gone.
| Capture | 400 to 600 ppi optical, 24-bit colour, calibrated targets |
|---|---|
| Master format | TIFF (uncompressed) with embedded capture metadata |
| Access format | PDF/A and JPEG derivatives |
| Packaging | BagIt structure with SHA-256 fixity manifest |
| Handling | Overhead and cradle capture; no disbinding without written consent |
Section 01
What you receive.
- Archival master images with capture metadata
- Access derivatives sized for delivery over ordinary connections
- Searchable text via OCR, with regional-script handling where required
- Structural and descriptive metadata for each digitised item
- Preservation packages with checksums and a fixity report
Section 02
How the work runs.
- Condition-assess the material and set handling rules per category
- Capture on book-safe equipment with calibrated targets
- Run OCR and correct against the source for defined accuracy
- Attach metadata and assemble preservation packages
- Verify fixity and hand over masters, derivatives and the report
Section 03
Who this is for.
- Libraries holding rare books, manuscripts or regional-language material
- Institutions digitising thesis and dissertation collections
- Archives and record rooms with deteriorating paper
Section 04
Questions we are usually asked.
- Will bound volumes be cut?
- No. Bound and fragile material is captured on overhead and cradle equipment. Disbinding is only ever proposed in writing, with reasons, and requires your explicit consent.
- Do you handle regional scripts?
- Yes. Devanagari and other Indic scripts are handled, with accuracy targets agreed per script and per source condition rather than promised as a single figure.
Section 05
Enquire about digitisation and preservation.
Tell us the size of the collection, the systems already in use, and the deadline you are working to. That is enough for a useful first reply.