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Records Scanning and Digitization
Converting paper and microform records into indexed electronic records a department can actually find things in.
What this covers
Records scanning and digitization converts paper and microform holdings into indexed electronic records loaded into the system where staff already work. Backfile conversion handles what has accumulated in file rooms and on microfilm, microfiche, and aperture cards. Day-forward scanning captures what comes in afterward, so today's paper does not become the next backfile.
The departments that buy it are those whose records must be produced on demand: clerks and recorders, building and planning with permit files tied to parcels, engineering with drawings, courts with case files under custody rules, and utilities and human resources with personnel files.
The hard part is rarely the scanner. It is designing an index a clerk can still search two years from now, loading images into the records system with retention applied, and settling the legal status of the electronic copy.
Typical activities
- Inventory and scope definition. Describing what exists before pricing: linear feet, document types, page sizes, condition, fastener density, film format. Pricing runs on images, and a sheet is not always one image.
- Preparation and document separation. Removing staples and bindings, repairing tears, and marking where one document ends and the next begins, by separator sheet, barcode or patch code, or operator keying.
- Capture to a stated image standard. Resolution, bit depth, compression, and format set per document type rather than once for the project. Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative guidance and the ANSI and ISO imaging standards are common references, and many state archives publish their own imaging requirements, which should be confirmed against the current official source.
- Optical character recognition where it earns its place. Recognition works on clean machine print and degrades on carbon copies, thermal fax paper, dot matrix output, and poorly filmed microform. Handwriting recognition remains uneven, so annotated material is better served by keyed index fields.
- Index and metadata design. Choosing the fields staff actually search on, such as parcel or account number, permit or case number, name, and date, with authority lists and validation rules.
- Quality control by sampling plan. Defining defect classes such as missing pages, skew, and wrong index values, applying a published sampling procedure such as ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, and writing rescan terms into the contract.
- Load into the system of record. Mapping index fields to the destination structure, running a test batch, and confirming that retention and security are applied at ingest.
- Disposition of the paper. Deciding by series whether originals are destroyed after acceptance under a documented authorization, returned to the department, stored, or kept permanently.
What you receive
- Image files in the agreed formats, commonly a preservation master and a smaller access copy, under a documented naming scheme.
- An index or load file in the destination system's structure, with counts reconciled and exceptions listed by document.
- A specification covering resolution and format by document type, separation rules, index field definitions, and the quality standard.
- Quality control records showing sample sizes, defect counts by class, and rescans, which support the trustworthiness of the electronic copy.
- Chain of custody records from pickup through return or destruction.
- A loaded, searchable collection in the agency's own system, with retention and access rules applied.
Considerations for public agencies
Digitizing does not change retention: it runs with the record series under your state schedule, not with the format. The legal standing of the electronic copy comes from the process rather than the scan: rules of evidence generally allow an accurate duplicate, and most states permit destruction of paper after imaging under conditions set by statute or archives rule. Permanent and archival records are often treated differently, so confirm the current rule with your state archives and counsel before destroying anything.
Digitized records remain public records, and material that was practically obscure in a file room becomes searchable. Redaction has to be done correctly: a black rectangle over an image that still carries a text layer is not a redaction. Build redaction review into the workflow for series holding social security numbers, medical information, or sealed matter.
Documents posted on a public website must be accessible, and a scanned image with no text layer is unreadable to a screen reader. Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Department of Justice rule adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA for state and local government web content, with compliance dates that depend on entity size, so check the current text with counsel.
Custody rules are often set by law. Court files, law enforcement records, and vital records may not be able to leave the building, which points toward onsite scanning or small scheduled batches. Files still in use must stay findable while out, so file-out tracking is a requirement.
Price backfile and day-forward work separately: backfile is finite and can be phased by series, while day-forward scanning is an operating cost needing a recurring line. Use a unit price schedule distinguishing preparation categories, document sizes, film types, and index field counts.
Working with HQT on this
HQT works on records conversion as a systems problem: setting the capture and index standard against how a department actually retrieves documents, specifying the work so it can be competed and measured, and handling the load into the agency's system. An engagement normally starts with a pilot on one series, so specification and thresholds are settled on real material first.
Frequently asked questions
Can we destroy the paper once it has been scanned?
That depends on your state and on the record series. Many states allow paper to be destroyed after imaging, but the authority generally carries conditions, such as a documented destruction authorization, verified images, and different treatment for permanent or archival records. Confirm the current rule with your state archives or records commission and with your counsel before anything is destroyed. Sequence the work so destruction follows acceptance of the images rather than preceding it.
Will scanned records be text searchable, including handwritten ones?
Clean machine printed pages usually recognize well enough to support full text search. Handwritten, annotated, stamped, carbon copy, and poorly filmed material does not, and handwriting recognition remains uneven across old records. Plan to retrieve those series by keyed index fields instead of by text search. Treat any recognized text as a search aid rather than as the content of the record.
How do we size and price a backfile project before writing a solicitation?
Sample instead of estimating from memory. Pull a representative set of boxes or rolls and record linear feet, sheets per inch, page sizes, two-sided content, fastener density, condition, and film type, then extrapolate by record series. Those factors drive preparation labor, which is usually the largest part of the cost, more than the raw page count does. Ask for a unit price schedule that separates them so difficult material is not hidden inside one average rate.
Should we convert everything, or only part of our holdings?
Only part, in most cases. Series that are requested often, tied to parcels or cases, needed by field staff, or stored in failing microform are the strongest candidates, while series near the end of their retention period or duplicated in a system of record are weak ones. A common sequence is to start day-forward scanning so the backlog stops growing, then convert backfile series in priority order as funding allows.
Do digitized documents we post online have to meet accessibility requirements?
If they are published as web content by a state or local government, accessibility requirements generally apply, and an image-only scan with no text layer cannot be read by assistive technology. The Department of Justice rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard, with compliance dates tied to entity size and specific provisions for some archived content. Which of your documents fall inside the rule is a question for your counsel against the current text. Where posted documents are in scope, require a text layer and tagging in the scanning specification rather than remediating later.