Statewide digitization services are provided through two specialized facilities, each optimized for different types of materials. Our team works with you to determine the best approach based on your collection characteristics and institutional needs.

BPL Digital Imaging Studios

Optimal for photographs, maps, manuscripts, oversized materials, and items requiring individualized handling

Our on-site imaging facility provides high-quality digitization for materials of any size or format, with specialized workflows for unique, fragile, or oversized items.

Best suited for: Large-format photographs, transparencies, and negatives, maps, postcards, manuscripts, individual documents, posters, and materials requiring careful conservation-conscious handling.

Requirements: Items need only include unique identifiers prior to digitization. Descriptive metadata can be completed afterward.

All imaging is done in accordance with the “Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials” maintained by the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative, and the studio environment is ISO 3664:2009 compliant.

Internet Archive Partnership

Optimal for bound volumes and materials suited to high-throughput workflows

Through our established partnership with Internet Archive, a non-profit 501(3)(c) based in San Francisco, we provide efficient digitization for bound materials using specialized book scanning equipment and workflows designed for text-based collections. All imaging is done on-site in the Internet Archive scan center located at BPL.

Best suited for: Yearbooks, annual reports, organizational records, bound manuscript volumes, and serial publications where full-text searchability enhances research value.

Requirements: MARC bibliographic records must be available prior to digitization (our team can provide cataloging support as needed).

Planning Your Project

For guidance on which digitization approach best serves your materials, review the collection development policy or contact digital@bpl.org to discuss your collection's digitization potential.