The Digital Production Center (DPC) creates digital captures of unique, valuable, or compelling primary resources for the purpose of preservation, access, and publication. While we focus our efforts on collections held by Duke University Libraries, we have worked with materials provided by a wide range of partners on the Duke campus and beyond. The content we create is used in an ever-widening range of digital collections, research, teaching and learning.
Our operating principle is to achieve consistent results of a measurable quality. We plan and perform our work in a structured and scalable way, so that our results are predictable and repeatable, and our digital collections are uniform.
We collaborate with colleagues at other colleges, universities, and research libraries to share best practices and create consistency among institutions. We also participate in tours, consulting, equipment maintenance, professional training, student training, consulting with other staff on their own digitization requests.
Projects and Services
The Digital Production Center partners with staff throughout Duke University library and the Duke campus community through a number of projects, initiatives and services; a description of these project and services can be found below. If you are looking to partner with the DPC on a specific project or have a request (including consultation), please review the information in this document and contact Giao Luong Baker, Digital Production Services Manager.
| Project Type | Description |
| Digital Collections | The DPC provides digitization services and support to the Duke University Libraries Digital Collections Program. Digital collection work is funded by the library, a campus partner and/or an external funder depending on specific project details. Examples fo these projects can be found online at Duke Digital Collections. |
| Digital Scholarship | Digitization to support Duke faculty research. Large projects are typically externally funded (by organizational units or granting agencies). |
| Exhibits | The DPC creates digital files, to be used to create facsimiles for display in Duke University Library exhibits (both physical & online). This work is funded by the library and managed by the Duke University Library exhibits coordinator. |
| Grants | Multi-year, externally funded projects, often with external stakeholders. |
| Patron Requests: Rubenstein Library | Weekly digitization or on-demand (rush) requests to digitize materials from the Rubenstein collection. DPC charges a cost recovery fee for these services. |
| Preservation Requests | Reformatting of materials for preservation and/or access funded either by the library or campus partner. |
| Staff, Donor or Other Requests | Depending on the request, DPC may be able to partner with DUL staff, DUL donors, faculty and other DUL stakeholders. Please contact the DPC with the details of your request to determine feasibility. DPC will typically seek cost recovery for these requests. |
Turnaround Time and File Delivery (post digitization)
Turnaround time for digitization requests varies depending on the size of the request and the type of the material. If requests are small enough, the DPC can post files for download. For bigger requests, the DPC can transfer files to hard drives or DVDs.
Formats and Equipment
In 2005, the DPC opened its doors with one flatbed scanner and one overhead digital scanback. Over the years we have expanded our equipment and currently (2015) have 8 different capture devices for still image, audio and video digitization and preservation. Below, please find details regarding the types of materials we can digitize and the equpiment we use for our work.
|
Format |
Material Type |
|
Cassette, Records (33 and 45 rpm), DAT, Reel to Reel Tape (1/4"), Microcassette, Minidisc |
|
|
Photographs |
Color, Black & White Daguerreotypes Tintypes |
|
Printed Material |
Newspapers Bound/unbound manuscripts Broadsides Maps Posters Architectural Drawings |
|
Transmissive |
35 mm slides/negatives (strips) Glass plate negatives Film – 120, 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 |
|
U-matic, Betacam, VHS, MiniDV, Hi8, DVD |
Equipment
| Capture Device | Input Limitations | Output File |
| Audio Station (click for more details and specifications) | Cassette, Records (33 and 45 rpm), DAT, Reel To Reel (1/4) | Wav (24bit/96kHz), mp3 (various bitrates) |
| Epson | 12.5in x 17in flat items | tif (up to 2400 dpi), jpg, pdf |
| Flextight5 | ||
| Fujitsu | Letter and legal (or smaller) sized flat items | tif (up to 600 dpi), jpg, pdf |
| Nikon Slide Scanner | 35mm (paper and plastic mounts), film strips (no longer than 5 frames) | tif (up to 4000 dpi), jpg, pdf |
| Phase One | Flat (includes glass negatives) or bound items that cannot open to 180 degrees. If the item is over 22 x 29”, DPC can stich multiple images together. Please consult with the DPC about any affects this stitching process can have on overall image quality. | tif (4 x 5 in @min 1200 dpi)(max 22x 29 @ 300 dpi w/out stitching and 29 x 70 @ 300 dpi), jpg, pdf |
| Scribe | 10 x 16 in bound items | Jpg, jpg2000, pdf (via Internet Archive) |
| Black Magic Ultra Studo and various video tape playback decks (click for more detail) | U-matic, Betacam, VHS, MiniDV, Hi 8, DVD Ripping | Mov (uncompressed 10 bit), mp4, DVD |
| Zeutschel | Flat items or bound materials that can open to 180 degrees up to 18in x 25in | Tif (up to 600 dpi), jpg, pdf |
Staff and Location
The Digital Production Center is located on the lower level of Perkins Library in Perkins 013 (on the same level as the Link and next to conservation services). View our complete staff listing and contact information.