Did you know that before it burned, the Library of Alexandria contained over 500,000 papyrus scrolls? One of the lost works was the third-century BCE hypothesis of an ancient Greek astronomer proposing that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our universe. Because of the loss of this huge repository of knowledge, the sun wouldn’t take its rightful place in our scientific understanding until the 16th century when Copernicus put forward the same hypothesis.
Thankfully, losing so much to a fire never has to happen again. A book scanning service can preserve written works in digital form.
Whether it’s a treasured family bible, genealogical records, newspaper clippings, yearbooks, business records, medical records or education records that you need to preserve, there are many benefits to digitizing your books and important papers.
A Better Option for Long-Term Storage
Paper is at risk for so many forms of damage, including fire, water, mold and even human clumsiness. You’ve probably experienced the feeling of panic upon knocking over a cup of coffee onto an important document!
Digitizing your books provides peace of mind that they will be safe from the inevitable accidents of life. A good book scanning service will use automatic backups to protect from hardware failure. Encryption further protects your files from theft.
Digital files reduce clutter in a home or office and can be carried anywhere with ease. You won’t have to pay for boxes, storage and moving truck rentals when it’s time to take your collection to a new place.
Book Scanning for Growth and Productivity
Indexing and metadata added to your files make retrieval quicker and easier, which increases the productivity of your office. Businesses that know how to make good use of technology are more successful, and keeping your book collection online is a step in that direction.
Digital files are also easier to share or send to other people. The simplicity of making copies ensures that many people can work with the same document at the same time.
One thing to keep in mind is copyright law. If a book is subject to copyright, fair use statute dictates that you can only make one copy, and for personal use only. Ask for guidance if you’re unsure whether scanning something is allowed under copyright law.
Toward a Common Good
Most of the paper used to create physical books comes directly from trees, rather than from recycled materials. Using digitized books is sustainable and helps protect the environment by eliminating the wasteful use of paper.
Additionally, when you scan books, you make them more accessible for everyone. A good tagging system enables people to find materials, and files can be read with a screen reader, or the text can be enlarged to make it easier to see.
Books need to be scanned with the proper tools to achieve these benefits, as improper scanning can leave you with less functionality.
Ready to Get Started?
If you have books or documents that are important to you, make it a priority to ensure their longevity. Joseph Merritt & Company provides a comprehensive book scanning service that can help you achieve your goals. Use this contact form to request a quote or just ask questions!