scanning services for a digital library

[Carolyn_Gonzalez at medcom1.smtplink.amedd.army.mil]

     Hello, All:
     
     I'm making a digital library from scratch for the Army's Center for 
     Healthcare and Education Studies at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.  I'm at 
     the point now where I'm looking at options for a scanning service for 
     the library.
     
     At the outset, I have an estimated 75,000 leaves of documents to be 
     scanned.  About 60% of the leaves are unbound, but perhaps 40% of that 
     material may need to be retyped or enhanced for decent scanning.
     
     I'm weighing my options--whether to go with a professional document 
     imaging service or to have the Army invest in scanning equipment and 
     have a small full-time staff (maybe one or two people) do the scanning 
     in-house.  I'm talking to some document imaging services here in San 
     Antonio, and I realize that no matter which route I take, I'm about to 
     undergo a mighty expensive undertaking.
     
     Once the library is up and running, I'm sure more documents will start 
     pouring in.
     
     Any advice from individuals on this list would be welcome.  I'd 
     especially like to hear from those of you who've done business with 
     document imaging services, or who have experience with scanning large 
     volumes of material.
     
     I'd also like to hear from folks who have a digitized section of their 
     catalog.  I'm going to start working with EDS to build the catalog 
     from a SEQUAL(sp?) database soon.  I guess the coding will start in 
     two weeks.  Some people involved with the project would like to have 
     the digitized material in the library held in only a downloadable 
     format.  My inclination is to have the material held in both 
     downloadable and viewable formats.  I know how library patrons love to 
     view and browse--and a lot of my patrons won't be sophisticated enough 
     to realize that their computer is caching everything they'll view 
     through this web-based catalog.
     
     How do those on this list feel about downloadable-only versus the 
     downloadable and viewable argumemts?
     
     Also, could anyone out there give me the e-mail address for the 
     digital libraries discussion list?
     
     Thanks,
     
     Carolyn Ellis Gonzalez, Librarian
     Martek Communications, Inc.
     3407 NE Parkway, Suite 130
     San Antonio, TX  78218-3349
     
     phone (210) 221-6514
     fax (210) 930-3462
     
     E-Mail  Carolyn_Gonzalez at medcom1.smtplink.amedd.army.mil