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What might be the best way to scan newspapers in order to extract data?

What might be the best way to scan newspapers in order to extract data?

Posted: 23 May 2014 2:48PM GMT
Classification: Query
I volunteer at our local genealogical library. We have hundreds and hundreds of newspapers that need to be dealt with. In years past the volunteers have used 2 methods to deal with newspapers. The first was to read, type the items/articles to keep, and then photocopy the page to put in a book and the second was to type the date/volume numbers of the paper, cut the columns to keep, glue them on scrap paper, photocopy the "paste-up", then put it in a book. Both of these methods required people, time, and photocopy costs.

We are down to two volunteers, of whom I am one. It wastes paper and time to read the paper then to type it and I am wondering if perhaps there might be a quicker more efficient way to deal with the papers. What I would like to do is to get my hands on a flatbed scanner and scan the papers into jpg format so that I can snip the jpgs and arrange the snips on a page and only have to print the page once. If I scan the papers like this then I can store them on a zip drive and edit them at home in the evenings and keep a backup in Dropbox.

How do the rest of you deal with newspapers in order to extract births, marriages, deaths, local murders or interest items? I am at a loss of trying to decide what type of scanner to try to get. I'd like one that can do an A3 size (12x17) but those are few and far between let alone if they are sold with their software. Do any of you have any suggestions on the direction I need to go with this? The other lady who volunteers has given the newspaper project over to me so I can pretty much do what I want but it will require my own money to buy a scanner.

Re: What might be the best way to scan newspapers in order to extract data?

Posted: 21 Jun 2014 6:12PM GMT
Classification: Query
The best way is to buy a quality flat bed scanner (actually the *best* would be a microfilm camera). But if you're a volunteer and you'd have to pay for the equipment to do your job, I'd suggest going for second best. Do you have a decent smartphone? They take pretty good pictures. There are even some apps that make the camera work more like a scanner, though I'm not sure exactly what they do (Ancestry has a free "shoebox" app but I haven't gotten it to work). What some can do is to merge multiple pictures together into one doc, if it's too big for one clear picture. It takes some practice to get photos to look as good as a scan, but it's doable. I suggest investing in a high quality sheet of plexiglass to put over the newspapers to keep them flat as you photograph them. Experiment with lighting a lot to reduce any glare (standard overhead lights may not work).

Once you have the paper digitized, you'll need software to crop each picture appropriately and then to paste it all together. Photoshop is the gold standard here and maybe the library already has it or would be willing to get it. But there are other cheaper ones, even the occasional freebie. A resource to check out is Techsoup.com, which is an awesome source for nonprofits to get software, including Adobe/Photoshop, at very low prices. Photoshop is likely overkill for you; all you really need is cropping (which any software will do at equivalent quality) and pasting (ditto) but it would be helpful to have some tools for changing the lighting, sharpening focus, etc.

Instead of printing it all out, I'd get PDF creation software (Abode Acrobat works but there are cheaper ones) and turn each newspaper into a PDF doc with multiple pages (or do each item separately). Put it on a computer accessed only at the library or put it online for anyone (with or without a library card) to use.

Note that there are places that have inexpensive hardware as well (TechSoup has a bit) and you might be able to get a scanner for cheap or even free. Would you be allowed to hold a small fundraising event for the hardware/software you need?

Good luck, this is a fabulous project and I can tell you it will be of great interest to people beyond your local area.

Cyndi

Re: What might be the best way to scan newspapers in order to extract data?

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 2:27AM GMT
Classification: Query
Thanks! I think I'm going to get a flatbed scanner for the newspapers. For the big platbooks I made a contact at a local college with one of those huge book scanners that won't damage the book. They are going to put the platbook jpgs on cd-roms for us! One of our new volunteers has the latest PhotoShop and is really good with it and she's going to construct the pages for us. I just have to get the pictures of the pages taken. So thank you! The flatbed is the route I think I'm going to go since i have to buy the scanner myself.

Re: What might be the best way to scan newspapers in order to extract data?

Posted: 25 Jun 2014 4:29AM GMT
Classification: Query
That sounds fantastic. So much better to do it right from the start. I hope you can do a small fundraiser so you're not out of pocket for the scanner. Awesome that you are getting the volunteer work and equipment. Good luck with it all!
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