Evaluating large-format scanners

For archival purposes, we are planning to scan about a hundred years' worth of physical records (from timecards to schematics) for our railway historical society.

What is the best way to evaluate large-format scanners for this task? This is a new front for us, so I am not sure where to start looking beyond CDW.

warren

digitize
scanner

Comments

sean: You may get more mileage out of this question if you keep it specific to digitizing a certain type of item (and spin off other items into separate questions). As it stands, there isn't enough info as to what exactly is being scanned, its condition, its restrictions.
warren: @sean - the content being scanned is listed (timecards to schematics): perhaps you can offer an edit improvement?
warren: to the "off-topic" close voters, please see http://meta.digitalpreservation.stackexchange.com/questions/3/is-digitisation-on-topic?cb=1
sean: – per the meta link, scanner recs look like they're heading off-topic, but you can likely avoid that issue by making a question for each content-type (show a picture of the railway timecards, their dimensions, how you want the cards to be searchable or organized in a database, and ask how you can make it so). likewise, schematics come in all kinds of sizes and forms--if you present your archiving problem as a preservation issue to be solved by pros, I think you'll have more traction.
warren: @sean - I'm not looking for a rec, I'm looking for guidelines on how to evaluate them :)
sean: (can't @-link you for some reason) anyway, point taken

Answer by Exlucid

I am not sure exactly what the media that you will be working with will lend itself too. I am also not quite sure what you mean by 'evaluate'.

That said, a number of digitization labs post their guidelines and the scanners that they use for digitization. These documents might give you an idea of what questions you should be asking based on your materials.

UNT has an excellent page up with examples of the scanned results here.

The CDRH in Lincoln also has a good guide (including best practices links and readings) here.

I hope this helps!