Archives, libraries and museums today face a difficult task: how to make unique, often extremely fragile collections available to a wide audience while ensuring their long-term security?
Digitization, seen as a key element in the protection of cultural heritage, allows the creation of high-quality digital copies, which reduces the need to frequently consult the originals. However, improper scanning techniques can do more harm than good, sometimes leading to irreversible damage. Therefore, it's crucial to use technological solutions and procedures that minimize risk.
What are the risks in the scanning process?
- Mechanical damage Traditional flatbed scanners require books to be opened 180°, which significantly strains the spines and weakens the binding. Prolonged pressure gradually damages the paper fibers and stitching threads, which can be disastrous for old prints or delicate manuscripts. You should avoid laying volumes flat, let alone unstitching them for digitization purposes.
- Photochemical degradation – UV radiation accelerates the aging of paper, causing it to yellow, lose elasticity, and weaken its structure. Importantly, this process does not end when the light is turned off – a phenomenon known as dark fading means that the effects of exposure can worsen even after it ends. Conservation standards limit permissible exposure to a maximum of 50 lux and completely exclude the use of light sources emitting UV radiation above 75 µW/lm.
- The destructive effects of heat Infrared radiation (IR), generated by some light sources, acts as a catalyst, accelerating chemical reactions initiated by light and pollutants. This can result in paper deformation, loss of mechanical properties, and, in the long term, degradation of the organic material.
Jak bezpiecznie digitalizować?
For the digitization process to be safe, it must be preceded by a thorough assessment of the objects' physical condition. Scanning should be performed by a team of qualified specialists, including conservators, archivists, and scanner operators. It is crucial to prepare a digitization plan that identifies priority collections and working methods individually tailored to the condition of each object.
The equipment used for scanning must meet technical requirements to protect valuable originals:
- He should use safe lighting, which does not emit harmful radiation (UV, IR) and does not cause heating of the scanned surfaces.
- Musi umożliwiać automatyzację podstawowych funkcji, takich jak ustawianie ostrości czy kadrowanie, co ogranicza do minimum fizyczną ingerencję w obiekt.
- It is also necessary specialized cradle with an adjustable opening angle (typically from 90 to 140 degrees) and adjustable support depth. This allows for secure placement of volumes of varying thicknesses and formats without straining their binding.
Moreover, for digital copies to serve as valuable research and archival materials, master files should be created in high resolution and saved in a lossless format (e.g., TIFF). This ensures the preservation of all details and the durability of the digital counterparts for years to come.
Technology designed with safety in mind
Every dose of light, every movement, and every tilt of the fixture is an interference with the delicate monument. While individually they seem harmless, their cumulative impact becomes apparent over the years. The solutions implemented in An2Di scanners minimize these threats. – cold LED lighting reduces exposure and the risk of degradation, V-cradles protect the spine structure, and process automation reduces the number of manual manipulations. The result is digital copies of the highest quality: faithful in color, free from distortions and reflecting the structure of the material.