Self-service scanning & digitization

The Library offers several ways to scan analog materials into digital formats. Equipment is available for self-service scanning in Clemons, Brown, Fine Arts, and Music. 

For assistance digitizing material for instruction or research purposes, read more about digitization requests.

Print scanning

BookEye Overhead Scanner  (Music)
  • Up to a 24.4 inch x 18 inch scan area, and and up to 600 dpi optical resolution
  • “V” Cradle mode holds books at 120° angle
  • Sends scanned files to email and USB drive
ScannX Book ScanCenter (Clemons and Brown)
  • Includes a touchscreen PC connected to an 11” x 17” Book-Edge scanner.  
  • Converts scanned images to PDF, searchable PDF, Word, JPEG, TIFF, PNG, and MP3 file formats. 
  • Sends scanned files to email, USB drive, and mobile devices
  • Includes ABBYY FineReader OCR software to create searchable, machine-readable files in 60+ languages
Zeta Overhead Book Scanner (Fine Arts)
  • Up to a 18.9″ x 14 scan area and optical resolution of 300-600 dpi
  • Optional book cradle 
  • Sends scanned files to email, USB drive
Flatbed scanners (Clemons - 3rd floor Scholars' Lab)
  • The Scholars' Lab offers self-service scanning, particularly for the digitization of text and maps. Staff have expertise in OCR and digital collation. 
  • Large format (12.2" x 17.2") photoscanner with up to 2400 x 4800 dpi resolution
  • Sheet feeder scanner (up to twenty 8.5" x 11" pages per scan)
  • OCR Software (ABBYY FineReader and Adobe Acrobat, available to UVA-affiliated users) to create searchable, machine-readable files in 60+ languages

Media scanning

The Robertson Media Center on the 3rd floor of Clemons Library provides self-service access to non-print media scanners that can digitize: 

  • Video tape
  • 8 mm and 16 mm film
  • Small and medium format film negatives
  • Slides
  • Audio

Staff in the Fiske Kimball Fine Arts Library can advise users on scanning, manipulating, and preserving their images. Photoshop and Epson scanning software is available on 4 Apple computers on the main floor. Each computer is equipped to digitize film negatives, slides, and documents up to 11 x 17 inches.

Microfilm scanners are also available at Clemons Library. 

See staff at the information desks in each location for scanning assistance. See all Library locations and hours.