Blogs

By Emma Isaac

With the Marian Library’s newest high-tech digital instrument, patrons can now create searchable, high-resolution scans of fragile, rare and noncirculating books without subjecting them to the spine-breaking stress of older flatbed scanners.  

The device, an overhead document scanner with a V-shaped cradle, can improve the visibility of text, artwork and pictures, and with its adjustable table, it can scan books that aren’t fully open or that sit higher on one side or the other when open. The adjustable table helps with newer or fragile books that can’t sit open independently. Weights can hold pages down while the device scans the material to help get a seamless copy. The technology is so advanced that it will even digitally remove images of a user’s fingers holding pages down.

After scanning items, users can email them as PDFs or copy them to a flash drive.

Visitors are welcome to use the scanner during regular Marian Library hours; you never know when you may need a tool like what we have here.

— Emma Isaac ’25 is a communication major and student employee in the Marian Library.

Note: This scanner was purchased with funds from generous donors. To support opportunities like this, you can give to the Marian Library Fund or any other fund during One Day, One Dayton.