Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Questions To Ask Your Yearbook Digitization Vendor

By Carolyn Wallace


Each year has a unique aspect that you would like to remember. Since digital technology makes it easier and convenient to view as well as share these images, yearbook digitization is recommended. Because of the value of these memories, the images should be digitized using the best technology with the aim of producing the best quality. Choose a vendor who will produce quality work by asking the following crucial questions.

What is the quality of images you intend to produce? Quality is measured in DPI which represents dots-per-inch. You may also measure the quality using PPI which refers to pixels-per-inch. The recommended quality is 400 PPI and above. By getting a higher PPI, you are guaranteed that the book will not require additional scanning in future.

Have you handled similar projects in the past? Experience is extremely important because of the delicate nature of some of the images and documents involved. You need the experience as a guarantee that your images, some of which are uniquely irreplaceable, will be handled with care. By looking at results of previous projects, you can tell of the quality of work you will be expecting.

What format will be used for the file you receive? The digital platform offers options for different file formats. You need a format that is accessible to common gadgets that are used by potential clients for your book. The format should also be easy to convert and allow seamless transfer. The most common file formats are JPEG and PDF because they help to preserve quality.

Will the original materials be preserved? Digitizing means that you will be sending the original images and materials. Some of these images are rare and only exist without a duplicate. They need to be preserved through careful handling. If the pins come off or the pages are folded, the quality of your book will be compromised in a way that it will be difficult to recover. You should also consider insurance to cover for damages that may occur during handling.

How long will the process take? Delivery time usually depends on the facilities available and contract agreement. While some clients have the luxury of time, others have to return the materials to such places as the library because they need to be used by other people. Even as the vendor hurries to deliver on your work, quality must be maintained.

What numbering system will be used? Digital yearbooks should capture the information in a logical manner. There are pages that will have multiple images. What is important is a logical and chronological organization of the images and information in your book. In the absence of this order, you will be dealing with a distasteful book to view.

The latest technology should be incorporated to make it easy for users to search for information. One of the options is the use of optical character recognition or OCR which enables words on images to be searched. Where such technology is not available, the images should be converted to PDF to make it easier to search. The quality of digitization process will determine the quality of results produced.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment