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We are pleased to announce the Historic Records Center has recently acquired a new scanner that will enhance our ability to digitize records for the better. As of August, the HRC now houses a Zeutschel OS C 1 Scanner, a large format overhead scanner that allows us to digitize numerous records we were previously unable to scan.
 This scanner, made entirely in Germany, can produce high resolution images with a wide array of settings to allow for maximum quality and efficiency. The most important feature, however, is its size. The scanning bed is 24in x 33in, allowing us to digitize some of our largest oversized records. For many of these large records, the only digitally available images are extremely low-quality microfiche copies.
 Fairfax County Minute Book 1822 page 133, digital copy currently available
By using the accompanying Omniscan software, historic records staff will be able to scan these oversized records that we previously had to contract out for conservation and digitization. While they will still be conserved as needed, the ability to scan large records in-house will allow us to digitize them much more quickly than before. We will also be able to use this scanner to batch-scan our smaller records more efficiently, like index cards or other smaller documents.
The Omniscan software also includes a setting called Perfect Book. This feature includes 3D scanning of book pages for automatic page recognition, page splitting and cropping, and correction of page curvature when scanning bound books.
Some of our collections that we are most excited to digitize with this new scanner include our valuable tax records, minute books, deed books, and will books, all of which include oversized records that did not fit on any of our previous scanners.
 Fairfax County 1921 Land Tax Book, index card for size reference
Upon installation of the scanner, Historic Records Center staff were provided with training, and we are excited to get to work using our new scanner so we can better serve researchers and make more of our records availably digitally!
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