Having supplied the Imaging Services department of the Wellcome Library with several types of book scanning and capture systems including book2net A2 High Resolution Scanner with 20cm Motorised Cradle, Guardian A0 System for use with Hasselblad cameras and Dedicated Conservation Cradle for handling of ultra-fragile and rare media. Genus was delighted to assist with the installation of 2 self-service book capture units for installation in the Copy Services department of the library.
The Library has a range of electronic text and image resources which are freely available to registered users and under the project management of Head of Imaging Services, Richard Everett, the Library sought to expand access to these resources by implementing self-service scanners in the Copy Services department. The intention was to allow the library to remove old and inefficient imaging equipment which relied heavily on staff assistance.
Drawing heavily on experience in the development of similar scanners for the British Library, Genus supplied two book2net Kiosks with touch screen interfaces in December 2009, allowing the library to go live with the system at the start of 2010.
These Kiosks were then supplied with both copyright notification, which the user must accept to proceed and watermarks, meaning the library can confidently allow unsupervised access to the Kiosks whilst meeting all of its copyright requirements.
The Wellcome Library uses an EMOS Pharos® payment system and Genus integrated the Kiosks with this system so that the Library can charge user defined amounts for either printing or scanning. The user simply logs on to their account, via a keypad, before the Kiosk releases the captured image to their USB key or printer.
The kiosks heavily promote the environmentally friendly scan to USB option but Genus also supplied dedicated OKI laser printers to allow direct scan to print functionality.
The Wellcome Library has seen constant demand for the book2net Kiosks which have provided them with a number of benefits, including:
- Entirely unsupervised usage. The touch screen simplicity of the Kiosk allows the library to avoid having costly and dedicated staff to operate them.
- Increase in range of books that can be copied – the inherently more book friendly cradle provides the library with the ability to allow more access to previously problematic books.
- Immediate full colour digital access – the defining feature of the kiosk is the ability for researchers in the library to walk away with a full colour digital image of the pages they wish to study.
- Copyright protection, a copyright notice that must be accepted by the user is automatically transferred to the USB stick, whilst a Wellcome Library watermark is found on every digital and hardcopy image.
About The Wellcome Library
Through its collections and services, the Wellcome Library provides insight and information to anyone seeking to understand medicine and its role in society, past and present. More than 30 000 readers visited the Library last year, including historians, academics, students, health professionals and consumers, journalists, artists and members of the general public.
Part of Wellcome Collection, a major new £30 million public venue developed by the Wellcome Trust, the Library has over 750 000 books and journals, an extensive range of manuscripts, archives and films, and more than 250 000 pictures. They are one of the world’s major resources for the study of medical history and they also provide access to a growing collection of contemporary biomedical information resources relating to consumer health, popular science, biomedical ethics and the public understanding of science.
An Easy Success, Overnight! The Kiosks have transformed our Copy Service Room.
Comments from Richard Everett
Photographic and Imaging Manager at The Wellcome Library
The use of One-Shot Technology was introduced to me by Genus as a new alternative and enhanced way of imaging. We wanted to provide a copying service that gave our library users greater access and ability to copy material within the library themselves.
The walk-up Kiosks has revolutionised our copying service and changed the dynamics of how our users image, overnight. Where we previously had a fully staffed service, we now have an unmanned, more active copy service room, which has allowed us to utilise the extra staff in more project based work.
The main benefits we saw in embracing this technology were:
- We could provide greater access to materials as the
Kiosks are a more appropriate method of copying
books. - Conservation and preservation departments had more
confidence in the minimal handling required and could
therefore release more material for self service copying. - We have saved money by having a completely
unmanned service.
With several hundred people using the kiosk on a weekly basis we have asked for feedback directly and with feedback forms. The new Kiosks have been received very well, with the unanimous message being the ease of use. The majority of our users are students and not only do they find it easy to use but they love the new technology. The transition was very smooth as we removed our photocopiers on Friday and opened on Monday with a new set of Kiosks. To aid our user we created instruction posters that sit behind the Kiosks but these are very rarely referred to because of how simple and effective the scanners are.
Since our installations we have had many other organisations and universities come to see the success of the copy servicing department, as we are one of the first to go completely selfservice.
We are now working with Genus on how to utilise the One-Shot technology scanners in our rare material reading room, as the systems are much better suited to imaging fragile documents due to the constraints in handling.
Genus would like to thank Richard Everett, Louise Simon, Systems Support Officer and all involved at Wellcome Library for their help and assistance in the successful completion of this project.
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