New Digital Microform Scanner Graces First Floor of Library

The next time you are in the library, take a look at the microform (microfiche and microfilm) area on the first floor. Most of the previous readers/printers have been sent to electronic recycling. The newer remaining reader/printer that was connected to a computer has been moved and can continue to be used to view and print fiche and film. The most exciting addition is our new ST ViewScan digital microform scanner, which now sits next to the GRACE terminal.

The all-digital ViewScan incorporates the newest imaging technology. No longer are you required to print the images as they appear on the screen. The ViewScan allows you to select exactly what on the fiche/film you would like to scan, and you have the option of changing the brightness and contrast to make the image as clear as possible. You can crop (remove) parts of the image that you do not want scanned, and you can change the image settings to targeted parts of the page.

Instead of a printer, the images can be e-mailed to yourself, saved to a USB drive, or saved to your SES Google Drive account. Multiple images can be combined into a PDF for easy distribution on Moodle, or the images can be saved in a number of file formats. Easy step-by-step instructions are available.

The library owns over 260,000 items on microfiche, microfilm, or opaque cards. This includes back issues of journals, a large collection of early American printed materials, a collection of flyers (Flugschriften) and other materials from the Reformation, and many theological works that are no longer available in printed form. We continue to receive new material in these forms.

The addition of the ViewScan to our library is a significant step forward in continuing to provide access to important theology and religion materials. We hope that you will come and try out this new machine.