How do we create the images?

1. Aquiring the original documents.

If you entrust your items to us, they are stored safely in a compactus, protected from light, humidity, dust and other pollutants. They are taken out for digitising and then returned to the compactus until they can be returned to you.
If you bring your items to a digitising workshop they remain in your care except for the few minutes that it takes us to digitise the items. We handle them as respectfully as possible during the digitising process.

2. A master file is created for each document.

Each item is handled carefully and minimally. The digitising environment is clear and without lighting that could create shadows and affect the quality of the scan.
We use the Fujitsu ScanSnap SV600 scanner. It scans up to A3 size items, scans quickly and, most importantly, does not actually touch the original document. A jpeg file is created for each document with a resolution of 600ppi and unlimited pixel dimensions.
Each master file is given a unique file name and added to an Airtable index and then stored safely with appropriate backups in place.

3. A derivative file is created for each document.

A smaller file is required for uploading to the Western Australian Military Digital Library website. Each file has a maximum file size of 300 kilobytes and a maximum image size of 12.5 megapixels. We use Irfanview software to process these files.
These derivative files are stored alongside the master files with appropriate backups in place. A copy of the derivative file is uploaded to the Military Digital Library website.

4. Quality and clarity.

We are unable to clean or restore the original documents so the quality and clarity of the scan is dependent on the condition of the original. Photos and handwriting may have degraded since it was created and in many cases there is little we can do to improve the digital image.