Since the late 1990s, there’s been an ongoing battle between the realm of the physical and the realm of the digital. But rather than erasing our past, computers can actually preserve our physical history for future generations to enjoy. Digitisation is an important part of modern archiving, but did you know it can also help usher your business into a more sustainable future?
The paper industry is the world’s fifth largest consumer of energy, and not just because of the number of trees cut down. Going paperless can drastically reduce a business’s carbon footprint, as it cuts out the petrol, chemicals and water used in paper production. Paperless offices are also able to save on space (previously used for storage of files) and are arguably safer (as the preservation of large quantities of paper can pose a fire hazard, if done incorrectly). Last, but certainly not least, a digitised record system makes it a lot easier, and less time consuming, to find information – something that is indispensable for offices that also need to be GDPR compliant.
LORIC are open data experts and believe that data should be accessible to all, regardless of location or means. To LORIC, an archive is just another form of data, one that can be made more readily available to the public by digitalisation. Many historical documents are too delicate for public consumption, but digitising them means they can be enjoyed without damage to the source material. They can also be accessed from anywhere, saving time and travel costs.
The Lincolnshire Open Research and Innovation Centre is one of a handful of locations in the UK with a digitisation suite, alongside the British Library, Townsweb Archiving, Pearl Scan, Cleardata and Storetec. It is able to digitise both historic and contemporary documents, through the use of its two main pieces of equipment: an Atiz Bookdrive ‘Elite’ Mark II (an archival scanner that can copy books or documents up to A2 in size), and a fast throughput scanner that can digitise almost all A4 and A3 paperwork.
LORIC’s full service includes scanning, meta-tagging, and organising the files, but each option can be utilised on its own. They are currently working on several exciting projects, and are proud to call among their clients Mortons Media Group Limited, Lincoln’s New Theatre Royal, and The Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance .
For more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch.