Carey,
It's extremely difficult to OCR handwritten text with any accuracy. OCR works by looking for patterns on the scanned page that match a specific character. Hand-writing is so variable, particularly if the author has used cursive, that it is difficult to produce legible results. It's less of a problem if the author has printed each word on the page, but there are still problems that require manual correction.
As a possible alternative, it may be worthwhile to partner with a university or large library to setup a crowdsourcing site, encouraging volunteers to perform the transcription for you. The Economist published a short summary of activities in this area last year (http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2010/11/crowdsourced_science) and there's a JISC report on engaging the community (http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/programmerelated/2010/communitycollections.aspx) More recently, UCL performed the Transcribing Bentham project (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/transcribe-bentham/about/), which looked at the process of persuading people to transcribe a large amount of hand-written material.
Gareth
--
Gareth Knight
Manager,
Research Data Management Support Service
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT
Telephone: (+44) 020 7927 2564
>>> Carey Clifford <[log in to unmask]> 18/10/2012 09:43 >>>
Just following on from the scanner recommendations has anyone got any recommendations for scanning software that will OCR (including handwriting if possible) and create PDF/As? The software we have with the scanner creates PDFs fine but the image cannot be OCRed (if that is a real word).
Many thanks!
Carey
-----Original Message-----
From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Shawcross Kath
Sent: 18 October 2012 09:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: A4 Scanners
Debbie
I would recommend sticking with Epsom - in the past when I made a similar request to the list Epsom was overwhelmingly the recommended scanner.
We've got an A4 Epsom - Perfection V700 which sounds like an updated version of yours. We've had it about 4 years now so there is probably a newer model.
Kath
Ms Kathleen Shawcross
Borough Archivist & Local Studies Manager London Borough of Sutton Central Library, St Nicholas Way, SUTTON SM1 1EA
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-----Original Message-----
From: Archivists, conservators and records managers. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Debbie Usher
Sent: 16 October 2012 12:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: A4 Scanners
Dear all,
Can anyone recommend a good A4 scanner? The scanner will be used for scanning photographic prints, 35mm slides, magic lantern slides and various negative formats.
We currently have an Epson Perfection 4990 A4 scanner, which after 5 years of service has scanned a very large number of images, but now sadly has quite a scratched glass platen. We are also aware that eventually the mechanism will wear out, so we would like to invest in a new scanner. The scanner will get very heavy use.
I would be grateful therefore for any recommendations for A4 scanners and I will summarise for the list.
With Many Thanks,
Debbie.
Debbie Usher, Archivist RMARA
Middle East Centre Archive
St Antony's College
Oxford OX26JF
UK
tel. +44 1865 284706
tel. UK 01865 284706
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