During the semester, many people head for the scanners to scan documents, articles, or book chapters without much thought as to the size or quality of the output. The clustered scanners offer many options that people can use to create better and more usable images.
Most people scan using the default resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) which is fairly basic for text. If file size isn't a major consideration, I often recommend that they look at 400 dpi, which makes for smoother, easier-to-read text. For finer detail, such as a passport or driver license, scanning at the full 600 dpi makes a better image, although the file size and time per scan also increases.
This week, there was a request for a lower resolution scan. A government agency required the user to supply a scan of a signed and initialed eight page document at under 256 kb. The document was the agency's legalese -- apparently the agency only wanted to record the person's initials and signature as acknowledgment of terms. 300 dpi created a large file but reducing the value to 100 dpi and compressing the file in Adobe Acrobat Professional brought it in at the low resolution/file size required.
Scanning sizes can also be adjusted as needed. A person scanning pages of a book that opens to 11" x 19" won't capture the content by mashing the book down and scanning 11" x 17"!! Scanning the individual pages using custom scan settings for a landscape orientation of 9.5" x 11" greatly improves the capture. If this doesn't make sense, be sure to ask a staff member to demonstrate this. A good scan will be easier to read and helps prevent paper jams when users print the images.
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