Digitization and scanning seem like relatively straightforward tasks. But when you run a large-scale service bureau, the reality is that no two jobs are ever quite the same. As two of our scanning specialists, Kathy Di Tomaso and Shelley Vogt have over 70 years of experience handling other people’s paper, between them. And these ladies know that delivering high-quality results takes a little extra effort—and considerable expertise.
As a fully scalable scanning and digitization centre in Vancouver, Micro Com Systems is often called on to do jobs for government organizations, libraries, as well as private companies. Sometimes these clients have procrastinated on important digitization projects a little longer than advisable. As a result, team members have to be prepared to negotiate a number of challenges when sorting through thousands of boxes that have on occasion contained documents dating as far back as the 1800s—as well as other surprises.
Every sheet of paper must be checked before it can be fed into a scanner. Folds have to be smoothed and staples need be removed. Even older documents on the brink of disintegration have to be prepared. And it’s up to the team members at Micro Com to digitize these documents before the information they contain is lost forever.
Of course, dust is a regular occurrence when sorting. But sometimes documents have also been exposed to fire and flooding. This might mean removing little burned bits of paper or separating documents that are gummed together with mould and mildew. There’s even been the occasional post-mortem mouse, which one can only hope expired peacefully after a long and fulfilling life nibbling on select documents.
Today, team members are prepared for anything. And they have access to protective gloves and lab coats that can be donned when necessary.
Besides negotiating the occasional biohazard, there are the more predictable challenges. Papers that are stained, dog-eared, and crumpled all require special pre-press preparation. Then there are the older documents that are occasionally secured by staples that are so big and strong that removing them take brute strength and pliers!
Team members have even been called on to handle rare and valuable books and scrolls printed on exotic materials like cotton, onion skin, and linen.
The point is, whatever you’re working with, reliable team members like Kathy and Shelley have been there and done that. Document digitization allows businesses to free up valuable real estate by disposing of a surplus of storage boxes—and best of all they need never discover the surprises that await within.
To learn more about the document digitization and storage solutions at Micro Com Systems, please call 604-872-6771 or reach out online.