Boston Library Consortium Scanning Center Visit

February 9, 2007

Suzanne Pilsk
- Stefan (who may or may not drive the crate to D.C.) comes to adjust the cameras (uncrate if it hasn’t been uncrated) and reassemble any bent bolts etc. Stefan is an engineer but walked through the scanning process quite well. Took notes on questions he could not answer and is suppose to get back to Chris Freeland.
- Robert and/or Jae will come to initial train IA staff and make sure there is a smooth beginning to the project
- The scribe will use a barcode scanner to fetch a record. IA usually does NOT provide these but could. Should SIL provide a barcode wand?
- Chairs for staff may need to be provided for. They have never had a problem using chairs that have been found in the library setting.
- Space for carts in the workflow need to be considered. A table workstation for use by the scanner operator is needed.
- Metadata manager system that IA uses has some basic fields and a note field that can take free text. BHL might consider suggesting some additional fields to be added.
Martin Kalfatovic
- Stefan Gryz and Robert Miller provided various BHL member staff an overview of the installation and operation of the Internet Archive Scribe machine at Boston Public Library
- Scribe machine arrives in a crate; IA prefers if you unpack it, but will do so if you like
- Scribe station is currently in a temporary location at Boston Public Library (MUCH larger than the proposed SIL location of the machine)
- Firewall and connectivity are often a problem in setup
- Scribe is sometimes shipped via a service and sometimes Stefan of IA drives it out in his U-Haul; please make appropriate plans ahead of time
- Scribe comes in basically two large pieces but is otherwise assembled
- Restroom/Bathroom/Comfort Station (depending on where in the world you are) are good to have close to the machine
Photos of scanning setup and Scribe machine