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Digitization Services: Image-based

University Libraries' Preservation, Conservation, and Digitization staff offer consultation and expertise with digitizing image and text materials, including rare and special materials and collections. You are also welcome to use our technology and equipment to do-it-yourself.

What services are available?

  • Bi-tonal, grayscale, and color scanning
  • Digital photography
  • Electronic delivery of image files
  • Creation of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) files

What image formats are scanned, converted, and formatted?

  • Maps in all sizes
  • Photographs (scan only; photo restoration and/or enhancements)
  • Slides (negatives, positives, and glass plates)
  • Flat Materials (letters, manuscripts, art work
  • Large format drawings
  • Books (with or without binding)
  • Manuscripts
  • Letters

How can I do this?

You have a couple of options, depending on the type of materials you have (library-owned or non-library-owned), what you need to do, and whether or not you need assistance from our experts.  Here’s how it works:

Library-owned collections/items

Staff-Assisted

  • Please note that fees are associated with staff-assisted printing, scanning, and reproduction services. Visit the Fees Schedule for cost information.
  • Contact the library, library department, or campus library holding the items/collection to request digitization services. Then, submit your request to digiconversion@psu.edu.
  • The turnaround time for services is a minimum of two weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the job request.

Self-Service

The University Libraries provides technology and equipment to support your image scanning needs. Use our Scanners page to find what works best for you. Our Technology and Equipment page lists equipment availability for campus libraries. Most of the subject libraries at University Park offer scan, copy, and print services at their respective locations.

Non-library-owned collections/personal items

Staff Assisted

  • Please note that fees are associated with staff-assisted printing, scanning, and reproduction services. Visit the Fees Schedule for cost information; however, conservation consultation is provided for free.
  • Submit your request to digiconversion@psu.edu to start the process.
  • Depending on the size and condition of the collection/item, the job may not be accepted, but referred to a third-party trusted vendor.
  • If the request is accepted, staff will get back to you with a price quote. The price quote is valid for thirty days. If you do not respond within thirty days, the job request is closed.

Self-Service

The University Libraries provides technology and equipment to support your image scanning needs. Use our Scanners page to find what works best for you. Our Technology and Equipment page lists equipment availability for campus libraries. Most of the subject libraries at University Park offer scan, copy, and print services at their respective locations.

Who can use this service?

Any member of the Penn State community, at any campus location, is welcome to use this service. Requests from patrons external to Penn State are also welcome.

How much does it cost?

View the Fee Schedule for cost information.

What are some examples?

  • You are a faculty member at University Park and need a high-quality scan of a work of art for your research.
  • You are a librarian at a Commonwealth Campus and need to digitize an archival collection that is on brittle paper and is in need of preservation.
  • You are a student who needs to scan pages from a book to read for one of your assignments.
  • You are a community member who would like to digitize a family scrapbook for your own use.

How can I get help?