Our client is a national organisation responsible for preserving and sharing extensive family history and ancestry records. Their archive contains hundreds of historical books filled with valuable genealogical information, helping people across the UK research family connections and uncover their heritage.
The organisation approached Archive-Vault with a long-term digitisation project aimed at transforming its collection of historical books into searchable digital records. Our client was looking to extract the data from the books, and publish the information on the charities website, making it accessible to researchers, historians, and individuals exploring history.
We sat down with the team heading up this exciting new project to discuss how we can make this possible for them. As the books were already stored within our secure archiving facility, we were able to provide a complete service from physical storage and retrieval through to document scanning, and transferring them to their internal platform.
The challenge
The client recognised the importance of making their historical records more accessible but lacked the internal resource, equipment, and infrastructure needed to undertake a project of this scale.
With hundreds of books to process, careful planning was required to ensure the project remained within budget while progressing at a pace that would meet the organisation’s objectives. The nature of the books also meant that protecting the integrity of the books and preserving the information they contained was a key consideration throughout the entire process.
The client needed a trusted partner who could manage the physical archive, digitise the content to a high standard, and deliver the images in a format that integrated with the next stages of their workflow.
The solution
Our team worked closely with the client to understand the full scope of the project and create a practical digitisation plan that aligned with both their budget and target timescales.
We mapped out the complete process, from retrieving books from storage through to supplying digitised images ready for review and publication. A monthly schedule was agreed, allowing the project to progress steadily while giving the client complete control over costs and volumes.
Before each scanning batch can begin, each book had to be carefully prepared to ensure every page can be scanned accurately. The books were meticulously de-bound, with stitching and adhesive materials removed. Throughout this process, great care was taken to preserve the condition of the pages to prevent any information being lost.
Once prepared, the books were digitised using our high-volume scanning equipment. OCR technology was applied to ensure the text on the pages was searchable, an important element for data extraction. Following the client’s requirements, every page was supplied as an individual image.
Each month, completed images were securely transferred using the client’s preferred file-sharing platform, enabling their team to move seamlessly into the next phase of the project.
The result
By partnering with Archive-Vault, the charity was able to undertake a significant digitisation project without investing in specialist equipment, recruiting additional staff or volunteers, or creating new internal processes.
Hundreds of historical books are being transformed into digital records, making valuable ancestry information far more accessible to the public. Researchers, historians, and family history enthusiasts can now search for information that would previously have required manual access to physical records.
The agreed schedule has also allowed the client to maintain momentum while keeping the project within budget and on schedule.
Most importantly, the knowledge contained within these historical archives is being preserved for future generations while becoming significantly easier to access, search, and share online.
Looking to digitise historical records?
Whether you’re managing heritage archives, family history collections, bound volumes, or large-scale document archives, Archive-Vault can help transform your records into accessible digital assets.
From secure storage and retrieval through to document scanning, our friendly team can support every stage of your digitisation project.
Get in touch for a free, no obligation consultation and see how Archive-Vault can help bring your historical records into the digital age.
