Sam, I am a Construction Records Specialist working with Wayne State University, and I know full well what you are facing...I have pictures that can be frightening.
My current plan of action (but not my recommendation) is to simply scan everything I can lay my hands on. However, I have taken the following approach, hoping that in time, upper management may come around to my suggestions:
Scan original up to current documentation pertaining to current and active buildings. This includes any projects on 8.5 x 11 material, as well as any blueprints, sepia's, Mylar, you name it. The only items I have not been able to scan thus far have been linen - working on getting a camera for that.
I have boxed and archived files and records that are dated year 2000 and older. In terms of packing such boxes, I have either folded up the drawings, or packed them into tubes for storage.
One tip I strongly recommend, if you haven't yet done so, is to make sure you are using 12x15 inch boxes. My predecessor thought the 12x24 boxes were the way to go, and they are a nightmare. Not only do they take up more room, but you cannot pack them to capacity and expect to lift them easily. So far, I have completed over 500 boxes and counting with a university records dating back well over 100 years.
Because I essentially have no budget to work with, I have been compiling Excel spreadsheets for the short term. I have listed box numbers and inventoried the contents and location.
This is just what I have come across in the year that I have been here. I'll be more than happy to exchange more ideas with you if you would like to contact me. Thank you!
Sylvia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 4:23:39 PM
Subject: Instituting Archiving from existing paper archives to digital (on shoe string budget)
We are an engineering firm whose form of archiving has been for 40 yrs
wrapping blueprints up in brown paper, labeling them and sticking in huge
shelving of bins.
For files – we have some 200 banker boxes of files for the past 40 yrs -
80% are 8.5”x11” papers but some folded up larger size (plans or 11x17).
Being an engineering company not much money to spend on projects billed
out.
We started to try to scan some which were needed for reference as we
went.
Our Process for FILES we used so far:
- Remove all bindings (very labor intensive).
- We scanned at 400-600dpi in color to PDF no compression (using
copiers 50ppm).
- Acrobat no “A”.
- We scan every bit of material, covers, front and back if required and
if in binding scan back cover to show entire piece of material was scanned.
- OCR the docs.
- We add all the meta data we can to the files – project name, location,
contract number, structure type, material type, etc…..
- We title the PDF files best possible name and also in parenthesis after
name the binding type they were found in.
- We then secure the PDF within Abode with password and allow
nothing.
- All scanned data is then placed onto a read only protected network
drive for access by select people who require access for reference.
PLANS - We have not started scanning blueprints next but getting closer to
requiring. Especially with the paper types from years past fading and
bleeding into others.
Is our process and protection fair to good = any comments to improve or
let me know where we are going wrong would be greatly appreciated.
Or anyone else undertaking an existing archive to digital migration with no
money – their approach?
Thanks
Sam
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