A question of cost: choices on the road to digitisation Simon Tanner Director KCL Digital Consultancy Services Web:

Introduction The key factors Retention intention and digitisation Selecting alternative digitisation routes Costs of possible routes Making decisions Retention intentions revisited

The key factors Factors to be balanced for planning digitisation: the nature of the original materials the information goals from the digital resource the balance to be struck between costs, technology and benefits Digitisation starts with preservation considerations requires skilled input from conservators advice from agencies such as the NPO safe handling of originals may define the most suitable mechanism

Retention intention and digitisation What is the retention intention for the originals? short or medium term value eternal value in the original zero value in the original but content must be available Cornell University Without having a preservation policy or knowing the retention intention then all other digitisation questions are mute. Without it how do we effectively resolve: transport, conservation, preparation, indexing, handling, potential damage, insurance and risk management?

Selecting alternative digitisation routes Photographs Microfilm Photocopies NOT ALL SOLUTIONS ARE EQUAL!! Forensic imaging Representative imaging

Costs of possible routes Consider the cost versus preservation versus benefit axis. Microfilm and scan Photograph and scan

Costs of possible routes: Microfilm Good for bound volumes and large formats such as maps and newspapers. Generally cheaper to microfilm and scan than to use bookscanners or digital cameras. Bonus: preservation microfilm for long term storage. Some limitations: bi-tonal or greyscale results – no colour old, scratched or damaged microfilm may mean poor images 35mm is the best format microfiche is relatively expensive to scan and is poor quality know the reduction ratio or physical dimension of the original to get good results. NPO Guide to Preservation Microfilming

Microfilm cost scenarios Assume broadsheet newspapers with aim to produce 300 dpi B&W or greyscale TIFF image files. Microfilming: range from £ £0.15 per frame Scan from microfilm: from £ £0.45 per frame (high end indicates greyscale) Direct scan: from £ £2.00 per page side (high end indicates greyscale) Remember that variables, such as number of items will have a large impact on price.

Costs of possible routes: Photographs Used for colour especially Good for bound volumes and large formats such as maps and newspapers. Plus installations, 3-D objects and for the very fragile. Experienced professional photographer + drum scanned transparency = high quality digital camera Costs benefit for fresh analog photography over digital is finely balanced Wins on cost when photographs already exist.

Photographic indicative costs Professional photography: £6 per shot £550 per day Direct digital photography: £4 - £25 per shot Drum scanned 35mm transparency: >£8 each. (4500 dpi, 24-bit RGB colour TIFF) 35mm slides in slide scanner: >£1.75 each. (2700 dpi, 24-bit RGB colour TIFF) 5 x 4 transparencies: range from £ £4 each Glass plate photographs: direct scans at >£8 each (1200 dpi, 8-bit greyscale TIFF) Remember that variables, such as number of items will have a large impact on price.

Making decisions Clear understanding of preservation requirements? Consider surrogates if preservation requirements limit digitisation mechanisms. Can surrogates be procured? Do you have permission to scan? Are the available surrogates suitable for imaging? Costs and benefits of creating surrogates if they dont exist. Is there money available if have to outsource digitisation (e.g. for microfilm scanning)? Is the plan good enough to cope with the work elements to use surrogates?

Retention intention revisited Managed storage costs are not fixed, but arrived at collection- by-collection by judicious decision-making. The choice of repository, the scope of service, the repository pricing model, and owners decisions regarding formats, number of items, number of versions, and number of collections to deposit: all are potential variables… These variables apply equally to traditional and digital repositories, and in both cases one potentially finds that some formats (content types) are more favored than others. S. Chapman (May 2003) Counting the Costs of Digital Preservation: Is Repository Storage Affordable?

A question of cost: choices on the road to digitisation Simon Tanner Director KCL Digital Consultancy Services Web: