Message-Id: <mailto:199510161405.JAA07068@library.wustl.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Oct 1995 09:00:00 -0500 From: carol campbell <mailto:oklib@IONET.NET> Subject: Re: scanning old photos -harmful? To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
We, too, are planning to scan old photographs. I work for The Daily Oklahoman (newspaper) in Oklahoma City, and we have extensive files of old black and white photos.While the folks we checked with agree that the light may do "some" damage, they also agree that preserving the photos electronically is practically the ONLY way we can keep them indefinitely and still have use of them when we want.
We regularly do "look back" type sections and do use our old photos.
Though plans are not completed, we are thinking of donating the actual hard copies of photos to the state historical society after we have them stored digitally; with the understanding we could borrow them if necessary.
Hope that helps!
Carol >We are debating whether very old photographs might be damaged by the light
>from a scanner (a Umax Powerlook).
>I figure it is a cold light source and, although very close, should not
>cause a problem with a few passes.
>The curator is more skeptical -in fact very worried about his ancient
>originals.
>
>Any help?
>
>thanks, andy
>Royal BC Museum
>Victoria, BC, Canada
>http://RBCM1.RBCM.GOV.BC.CA
>
>