[Libs-Or] Looking to purchase a microfilm scanner

[Dunham, Charles]

Here is a brief review of our recently-purchased ScanPro 2000, which we purchased from Linco without a service contract.

Reels that were nearly unreadable on a conventional reader look crisp on the ScanPro. It's also nice to be able to scan directly to pdf; we've started responding to obituary requests with email attachments. It's slightly easier to load film on to it than with a conventional reader, but the software interface could be better; I'll hazard that it takes most new users about 10 minutes to come to grips with it. One challenge is that fine horizontal film movement is controlled by dragging a bar on the computer screen, but vertical movement requires a push or pull on the slide tray. Also, when the film is scrolled it takes a moment for the image on the computer monitor to catch up. Because of this lag, looking through several days of headlines is faster on a conventional reader. I prefer the ScanPro to our older scanners, but I feel that it works better as a complement to a conventional reader than as a replacement.

Best,
Charles Dunham
Adult Services Librarian
Corvallis-Benton County Public Library
541 766-6965


From: libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Christy Davis
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 12:14 PM
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: [Libs-Or] Looking to purchase a microfilm scanner

Our library is looking into the purchase of a new microforms scanner.  This scanner would mostly be for patron use, and primarily for looking at microfilm reels of newspapers.  We're interested in one of the newer models that hook up to a PC and would allow for emailing and downloading to storage devices. Has anyone out there made a recent (within the last two years) purchase of such a machine?  We'd like to hear if you're particularly happy with a purchase or if there are machines/service contracts to avoid.  If other parties are interested, I can share the responses to the questions.

Christy Davis
Supervising Librarian
Klamath County Library Service District
Klamath Falls, Oregon
cdavis at klamathlibrary.org





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