Re: Scanning licenses

[Curtis Lavery <laveryc@sbcglobal.net>]

Hi Julie,

The California Digital Library has been scanning licenses for 
more than 2 years.  Our purpose was twofold: to provide a 
document for those who need to view and understand its contents; 
and to digitize a fully executed document for archiving in a 
secure, remote location.  We also maintain a locked archive of 
original print licenses for internal reference needs and 
auditors.  In addition to a scanned version of the full document, 
we also redact the license for personal and cost information and 
scan it for reference by campus users.

We have not normally ocr'ed any of these documents.  At present 
we maintain a relational database that gives us some information 
upon inquiry about license terms and contacts.  Over the course 
of the next year we hope to have initiated our ERM, which will 
replace and enhance our home-grown file.  Since license 
provisions are narrative and typically need interpretation, I 
feel that indexing beyond what we can obtain from acrobat doesn't 
merit our effort.

Our biggest problem when we began was locating license originals 
for scanning and filing in a locked archive.  Different 
categories of documents had been stored in different locations. 
We used a simple excel file to note and track the status of each 
expected license.

We also scan and archive our other contractual documents, breach 
allegation documentation, and requests we receive for public 
records.

If you have any specific questions, please contact me at 
curtis.lavery@ucop.edu.

With best wishes,
Curtis Lavery
California Digital Library

_______________________________

Julie Blake <jblake11@jhuadig.admin.jhu.edu> wrote:

(Apologies for duplication).

We're interested in scanning licenses so they're available for 
various constituencies and searchable (OCR?) as well. We do not 
yet have an ERM, but would like to get started anyway. We know 
there have got to be others that are way ahead of us in this 
game, so I'm throwing myself upon your tender mercies. Who's 
doing this? How? Thoughts, ideas, warnings? Anyone have an open 
source solution for organizing or scanning?

Thanks,

Julie C. Blake
Serials & Electronic Resources Acquisitions Coordinator
Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University
julie.blake@jhu.edu