subject: How To Scan A Book - Preserving Our Valuables [print this page] As much as we may wish otherwise, books simply do not last forever. Abuse, neglect, and the environment take a toll on these treasures. The best way to preserve the information found in the books that we have, whether they are at the local library or our own bookshelves, is to scan them into a digital form so they can be preserved for future generations. The idea of backing up information is nothing new and has, in fact, become commonplace for just about everyone with access to a computer. Our photographs, movies, music, and personal information are all backed up in several different digital forms to ensure that they are not lost or damaged.
Until now, the problem with preserving a digital copy of a conventional book has been transferring it into a digital form. While an individual could certainly go through and type every word on every page of every book into a computer's word processing program, it simply would not be very efficient. On the other hand, scanning equipment has not always lent itself very well to books. Older books are especially difficult to scan due to their fragile nature. Trying to scan a book on a flat scanner will leave an uneven or unscanned portion near the spine.
A book scanning device that is capable of non-destructive book scanning is the ideal piece of equipment when it comes to preserving books for future generations. The best position for a book to be scanned in is the same position it would be held when read. A book scanner is available with a high quality camera that can precisely captured images on each page of the book that is positioned in a V formation. These types of scanners have been used by libraries to preserve almost three million books.
The benefits to using a book scanning device go beyond just their preservation. The prevalence of electronic book reading devices and mobile computing platforms like tablet computers, smart phones and small laptops have made digital book copies almost more prevalent than conventional books. It is possible to carry the thousands of digital books on vacation in place of one or two traditional hardcover novels. It is also possible to utilize the book scanner to scan a book without a spine. These devices not only increase the longevity of information held within our valuable books, but make it possible to carry entire libraries were ever we go.
