[Genealib] scanning microfilm

[Mary Kraeszig]

Julie,
 
While I have not done digitization of microfilm with OCR, I have done so in the past with out-of-copyright books, and tedium is the best word to describe the process.  I was working in an academic environment, and even with high-end software and scanning equipment, a huge amount of time was spent "fixing" words that were not recognized correctly by the software.  Perhaps things have improved since then, but my experience was only about 2-3 years ago.
 
On a related note, has anyone gone from microfilm/microfiche to digital conversions (just the images) on CD-ROM, etc.?  It's something we've been discussing at my institution, though with the number of data CD's that became drink coasters after switching to Vista, I'm skeptical about the ability of any vendor to guarantee that their data CD's will remain useful for more than a decade (or two), and/or that the vendors themselves will be around to do migration.
 
I'm very "pro tech," but don't want to get us into a bind down the road.
 
Thanks,
Mary D. Kraeszig, MLS
Library Director/Geneealogist
SullivanMunce Cultural Center
Zionsville, Indiana
marykraeszig at sullivanmunce.org

--- On Wed, 6/25/08, Local History <localhistory at forbeslibrary.org> wrote:

From: Local History <localhistory at forbeslibrary.org>
Subject: [Genealib] scanning microfilm
To: "genealib" <genealib at lists.acomp.usf.edu>
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 8:55 PM





In a recent meeting with a local historical society, we were discussing scanning microfilm and are looking for any advice from small in house projects.  What hardware and software did you use? How accurate is OCR? was the work done by staff or volunteers? 
Thanks!
Julie H. Bartlett
Archivist
Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum 
Hampshire Room for Local History
Forbes Library 
20 West St. 
Northampton, MA  01060
(413) 587-1014
jbartlett at forbeslibrary.org
“In spite of all the other facilities books are the principal permanent repository of knowledge and culture.”
>From the syndicated newspaper column “Calvin Coolidge Says”   April 30, 1931
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