Digitising and uploading the stories Ylva Berglund Prytz Photos by Kate Lindsay, Alun Edwards, Frank Drauschke, Stephen Bull, Caroll Mitchell, Ylva Berglund Prytz

Why are we doing Roadshows?

Dublin roadshow in the news (RTE) /0321/media html

Presentation title, edit in header and footer (view menu)

HOW DO WE GET THE STORIES AND IMAGES ONTO THE WEBSITE?

Welcome Press Inter view Check-in/out desk Photo Subject expert Storage Wai ting Exhibition PC 1 2 INTERVIEW 3 Postprocessing Cataloguing Follow-up AFTER 4 Floor manager Security Venue support WELCOME DIGITIZING

WELCOME DESK Each contributor gets a queue number and information (agreement form, project info)

Interview Recording the story

OBJECTS: Group photo of Ltn Smith and friends Dogtag on string, belonged to Smith Five letters from Smith to his sister Ltn Smith did this and this happened and this is how we know and how the objects ended up where they are… Story recorded and objects described (on paper or computer) ….

Interviewer gives each object/set of objects one number 351 : Three buttons 352 : Medal 353 : Dog tags 354 : 10 postcards

28 John Smith ABC 186 Group photo 187 Dog tag 188 Letters (5) Object number … and adds it to the list (one list/contributor)

Place object with its number in folder or similar. Keep objects and list together (one box and list per owner).

Take objects and list to the Digitisation Desk Desk staff hand objects to digitisers and keep track of progress

28 John Smith ABC 186 Group photo 187 Dog tag 188 Letters (5) Scan 1 Carol Desk staff make note on list about where objects are being digitised

28 John Smith ABC 186 Group photo 187 Dog tag 188 Letters (5) Scan 1 Carol Digitisation desk notes when objects have been digitised Objects are taken to the ‘Returns desk’

Returns Desk Can be same place as Digitisation Desk or Welcome Desk Desk staff checks that all objects are returned. Owner signs list

DIGITISING THE OBJECTS

Scan or photograph

Scanning Good for papers, faint print, flat objects. SLOW…

Desk-top scanners are good enough but slow Book scanners can be useful if available

Set-up important Preview File names One scan -> multiple files Scanner settings: see guidelines Scanning

Photography Can be used for all kinds of objects Fast, flexible

Copy-stand with lights Light very important! Camera on tripod. Separate lights Aim to minimize post-processing

Be flexible

Take first picture with ticket

Take several pictures of objects

Feel free to include ‘extra’ pictures (when time) Capture front and back

POSTPROCESSING

1.Crop 2.(Improve) 3.Re-size and compress 4.Label

Crop

Enhance Rotate Straighten Light Contrast Colour / White balance … Taken w camera at angle -> image distorted Very dark with shadows

If the objects are in the same place (same light), you may be able to ‘bulk’ edit

Re-format for Web Re-size: longest side 1600 pixels Compress so file size < 2 MB (300 dpi, if not too large) Keep the original high-quality file for archiving/other uses

Label Put all images for one ticket into one folder PDF If more than 4 images / story -> create a pdf with all images and add

Stories and images are added to (or edited on) the website afterwards

Working with the press

Digitising and uploading the stories Ylva Berglund Prytz Photos by Kate Lindsay, Alun Edwards, Frank Drauschke, Stephen Bull, Caroll Mitchell, Ylva Berglund Prytz