Reviving the Past (Efficiently): The Art and Process of Destructive Book Scanning

As the Archivist for St. Andrews University, I've had the privilege of digitizing 120 books from the St. Andrews Press, preserving them for future generations. For most of these books, I have used destructive book scanning, in which I remove each page of the book and run them through a scanner, to create high-quality digital versions of books. While the physical books are sacrificed in the process, the resulting digital files can be shared and accessed widely. This is particularly helpful for niche books, like poetry monographs from our press that will likely never be printed again. ?

Here's a comparison table outlining the benefits and drawbacks of destructive vs. non-destructive book scanning:

Here's a detailed look at the steps involved in destructive book scanning.

1. Assess the Book

Before starting, it's crucial to determine whether destructive scanning is the best method for the book at hand. I typically opt for this method when:

• I have multiple copies of the book.
• I don't have the necessary equipment or time for non-destructive book scanning. (Specialized book scanners can cost thousands of dollars and editing photographs of book pages is often tedious as you must correct curvature of each page).
• The physical book is not required after digitization.

2. Gather Necessary Equipment

To carry out destructive book scanning, you'll need the following:

• Guillotine paper cutter or a sharp blade to disbind the book.
• Scanner: Any scanner that can produce a high-resolution scan (300 DP1 or higher) will do. I used my library’s Sharp MX-M3571 copier/scanner/printer with a feeder.
• Computer with appropriate scanning and image processing software (I use Adobe Acrobat Pro)
• File storage solutions, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage.
• X-ACTO Knife to occasionally cut pages
• Staple remover for smaller books bound with staples

3. Disbinding the Book

The first step is to disbind the book:

• Cutting the Spine:
• For hardbacks: Use an X-ACTO knife to remove the text block from the covers

• For paperbacks bound with staples: Open the book the center page and loose the staples. Flip the book over and remove the staples. Use a guillotine paper cutter to cut the pages in half.

• For paperbacks bound with glue: Gently remove the covers and then gently remove each page. Make sure glue and any protrusions are removed from the pages. If using the feed tray on scanners, protrusions and glue remnants can cause the paper to jam.

4. Scanning the Pages

Next, each page is scanned:

• Adjust Scanner Settings: Set the scanner to a high resolution (300-600 DPI) for clear, readable images. I use 600 DPI, the highest setting on my printer. I use ‘Full Color’ unless the entire document is black-and-white.
• Scan Each Page: Carefully place each page on the scanner bed, ensuring alignment and flatness. In many cases, I used the feed tray to quickly scan the entire book.

5. Post-Processing the Images

Once all pages are scanned:

• Organize Files: Rename and arrange the scanned images in the correct order. I created a folder on my desktop called ‘Digitization Projects’ with all my scanned texts.
• Convert to PDF or OCR: Combine the images into a single PDF file or use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software to convert them into editable text. Within Adobe Acrobat Pro, the Scan & OCR often straightens crooked text blocks on pages as it reads the text. This makes the text readable for low-vision, dyslexic, and other print-disabled readers.

• Crop and Straighten: Use image editing software to crop excess edges and straighten any skewed pages. With Adobe Acrobat Pro, I can edit the pages to remove background ‘noise’; errata, stains, and writing on the pages. It converts the page into 'layers' (think Photoshop) with the text as one layer and any background 'noise' as another layer. I delete the second layer, leaving clean text.

6. Archiving and Sharing

After processing the digital files:

• Backup Files: Make multiple backups in different locations to safeguard the digital files. I keep copies on my Microsoft OneDrive.
• Sharing: If the book is in the public domain or you have the rights, consider sharing it online. I've uploaded my digitized books to my Archive.org page, where you can access them here.

Conclusion

Destructive book scanning is an effective method for creating high-quality digital versions of books, ensuring that even if the physical book is lost, its content is preserved. As someone who has digitized 120 books from the St. Andrews Press, I've seen firsthand the value of this process in preserving and sharing knowledge. For those interested in viewing these digitized works, you can visit my Archive.org page here.

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