Rupinder Singh

Scientia Est Potentia

Digitization of Rare Books

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The digitization of rare books refers to the process of converting physical books into digital format to preserve and make them accessible to a wider audience.

The project of Digitization of Rare Books and Manuscripts in the IIAS library started in 2017. The retrospective conversion of books was done, which included Scanning of books using BookEye 3 Scanner. PDF Conversion of scanned TIFF images, OCR of PDF books, Capturing Metadata, and uploading the Final PDF copies with pertaining metadata on the Institutional Repository Server.

Project Goals:

  1. To preserve rare books and prevent deterioration due to age and handling.
  2. To make rare books accessible to a wider audience through digitization.
  3. To improve the ease of access and research for patrons and staff.
  4. To host the Digital copies on a centralized and network accessible Repository server.

Project Methodology:

  1. Selection of Rare Books: A selection of rare books were made based on their significance, rarity, and research value.
  2. Scanning Process: The selected books were scanned using high-resolution digital cameras, BookEye Scanners, and specialized software to ensure accurate and detailed images.
  3. Digitization: The scanned TIFF RAW images were converted to PDF/A file format, and OCR was run to enhance their readability and accessibility. Metadata was also captured and added to the digital images to provide context and make searching easier.
  4. Quality Control: The digitized images were reviewed for accuracy, quality, and completeness. Any necessary improvements were made to ensure the best possible representation of the original books.
  5. Error Correction: Deskew, alignments, sharpness, and letter reconstruction were done after checking the text line by line, to insure that the scanned digital copies are easy to read.
  6. Storage and Access: The digitized images were stored in a Dspace digital repository and made accessible through the library’s website and catalog.

Project Results:

  1. Preservation of rare books through digitization, reducing the risk of deterioration and damage from handling.
  2. Improved accessibility to rare books for a wider audience, including researchers and patrons with disabilities.
  3. Enhanced ease of access and research for scholars and staff, as the digital images can be easily searched and accessed online.
  4. Developed an Oniline Repository of Rare Books using Dspace Open source software.

Conclusion:

The digitization of rare books at IIAS Library has been successful in achieving the project goals. The preservation of rare books through digitization and improved accessibility has been achieved, making these important resources available to a wider audience. The secure storage and ease of access through the library’s website and catalog will ensure the continued success of this project.