Library:DigInit Documentation
Standards
Current Imaging Standards
Current Imaging StandardsImaging with the ATIZ workstations and Canon digital cameras
- Capture RAW images in the CR2 format.
- Derive master TIFFs from RAW files using the appropriate software (e.g. Adobe Photoshop) using 300 ppi, 24 bit colour, and the highest pixel dimensions available.
- Save the master TIFFs with no compression.
- If future access to the material may be restricted, or if the colour profile of the image is of special importance, save the RAW images as well.
- Be sure to keep the RAW viewing/manipulation software up to date.
Imaging with the TTI workstation
- Capture RAW images in the DNG format.
- Derive master TIFFs from RAW files using the appropriate software (e.g. Adobe Photoshop) using 600 ppi, 24 bit colour, and the highest pixel dimensions available.
- Save the master TIFFs with no compression.
- If future access to the material may be restricted, or if the color profile of the image is of special importance, save the RAW images as well.
- Be sure to keep the RAW viewing/manipulation software up to date.
Imaging with the Epson scanners and Fujitsu scanners
- Scan as a TIFF and save with no compression. For most cases, scan at 600 ppi and 24 bit colour.
- For scans of small photographs, upscale the image to 6000 pixels on the long edge.
Master files
- Save master files as TIFF with no compression.
- Save at 600 or 300 ppi, depending on the project and method of image capture. For the majority of cases we use 600 ppi.
- Save images as 1 bit bitonal, 8 bit grayscale, or 24 bit colour depending on the project. For the majority of cases we use 24 bit colour.
Access files
- Set CONTENTdm to generate JPEG2000 files at 10:1 compression for display.
- Set CONTENTdm to generate high quality JPEG files for download.
- Set CONTENTdm to generate high quality PDF files for multipage items.
- Older collections may not reflect these standards.
Audio Standards
Master files
- WAVE or BWF, spoken language @ 44.1 kHz, music and ambient sounds @ 96 kHz, 24 bit
Access files
- MP3, 44.1 KHz, 16 bit
Video Standards
Master files
- File wrapper: AVI or MOV
- Encoding: Uncompressed 4:2:2 10 bit UYVY
Access files
- File wrapper: MOV or MP4
- Encoding: H.264, 640 x 360
Metadata Standards
The majority of our digitization projects use Dublin Core-based metadata guidelines for CONTENTdm collections. The metadata standards document is continually updated. The most current Metadata Manual document, from June 2021, is available.
Equipment
The Digitization Centre has a fully functioning lab with specialized scanning equipment to accommodate a wide range of materials. As well as a magnetic wall that allows for the image capture of large format items that cannot be put through the scanning equipment, we currently have the following:
Tarsia Technical Industries (TTI) 40x60 Copy System (1)
- This workstation uses a Sinar 86H camera back and digital CMV lenses. It is used for newspapers, oversize items, delicate materials, and miscellaneous documents.
ATIZ Bookdrive Pro Cradle Scanners (4)
- The scanners use Canon EOS 5D MKIII bodies and 50mm, 100mm and 24-70mm lenses for image capture. The cradle scanners are used for bound books and magazines, as well as for anything up to standard newspaper size.
Fujitsu fi-6670A Double-sided Document Scanner (3)
- Used for unbound or disbound documents and large-volume scanning.
Contex HD5450 Wide Format CCD Scanner (1)
- Used for maps, newspapers, posters, and other oversize items.
Epson Perfection V750-M Pro flatbed scanner with standard platen (4)
- Used for scanning photographs and delicate unbound material.
Epson Expression 10000XL flatbed scanner with large platen (2)
- Used for scanning photographs and delicate unbound material.
nextScan FlexScan 3-in-1 microform scanner (1)
- Used for scanning from microform format.
Canon EOS 5D MKII DSLR Body with 24-70 Lens (1)
- Used for photography and 3 dimensional objects.
Project Planning Toolkit
Digitization projects involve more than just digitization. Many groups or individuals may be involved and many factors may have to be considered, such as copyright, metadata, I.T. infrastructure, scheduling, web design and funding ... just to name a few. This toolkit will help you to plan your project and see what digitization resources the Library has to offer.
Getting Started
We ask that parties interested in proposing a digital project complete our Digital Projects Form. This will help us to review the various projects being proposed across the Library and move them into our workflow along with other priority projects.
We do recommend that you contact the Digitization Centre prior to submitting your proposal. Unit staff can help you to plan out your project, identify copyright issues, and determine required staffing and resources.
Who We Are and What We Do
Every digitization project is unique, with many factors that can influence the workflow requirements and the staffing composition of the project team. While many of these positions play a role in each digital project we undertake, these roles change to meet the needs of the project.
Project Sponsor
The resident content expert, the Project Sponsor proposes the project for digitization and acts as a consultant throughout the duration of the project.
Digital Projects Librarian
The Digital Projects Librarian acts as the project manager, shepherding the project through the digitization phases. The librarian is also responsible for such aspects of the project as archival preservation and copyright issues, marketing and promotion, and web readiness.
Technical Services Librarian
The Technical Services Librarian provides guidance on metadata structure, defining the metadata template, ensuring that fields are formatted correctly, and consulting and troubleshooting as required.
Students
UBC students perform a wide variety of tasks to support the digitization project, including scanning using a variety of scanning equipment, digital image editing, applying metadata, and uploading digital content.
Digitization Centre Assistant
The imaging expert, the Digitization Centre Assistant trains students and provides troubleshooting support for a variety of equipment and projects.
Library Systems & Information Technology
The LSIT group provides interface, hardware, and design support to the digitization projects.
Overview of Workflow
Our digital projects workflow gives a general overview of the stages of a typical digitization project. Every digital project is unique, and the workflow for each project will reflect this. However, this workflow shows the stages common to each UBC Digitization Centre project.
Copyright
Determining copyright restrictions and digital rights permissions is an essential step in any digitization project, and should be established prior to the project being undertaken. Every item is unique and may present its own set of copyright issues. As a general starting point, projects at the UBC Library should consider the following questions when determining whether materials are eligible for digitization:
Is the material in the public domain? In Canada, copyright lasts for the lifetime of the author, plus 70 years after the end of the calendar year in which the author died.
Does UBC hold the copyright to the material? If possible, refer to the item’s donor agreement for any indication of rights transferal. Even if an item is physically held at or owned by UBC, that doesn’t necessarily mean that UBC also holds the copyright.
Will the copyright holder give permission to digitize the material? This can be a fairly time-consuming process as every effort must be undertaken to locate the rights holder. The Digital Initiatives Unit can assist in performing the search; make sure to allow time for this when planning your digitization project.
If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, the material is a likely candidate for digitization.
Note that if copyright is held by another party, permission must be obtained before the material can be put online. In all cases, a record of copyright status and actions taken to determine that status should be maintained in order to document good faith efforts. This record may include a description of the search process undertaken, the rights status discovered, and/or the permission received, as appropriate to the materials.
If you have any questions about copyright or are unclear as to the copyright status of an item to be digitized, please contact the Digitization Centre. For further information on copyright at UBC, see Copying and Scanning at UBC.
Reports
The reports highlight the Digitization Centre's collections, projects and community engagement and partnerships for each fiscal year.
2023-2024 Report
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2023-2024
Past Reports
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2022-2023
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2021-2022
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2020-2021 (includes the 10th anniversary)
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2019-2020
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2018-2019
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2017-2018
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2016-2017
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2015-2016
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2014-2015
UBC Library Digitization Centre Impact and Activity Report 2011-2014 (since the Digitization Centre’s opening in March 2011)