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Abstract
The scanning process makes the text readable, accessible and suitable for archiving; if the software includes optical character recognition (OCR), scanned typewritten text can also generally be searched - although OCR is not error-free, so the resulting text often needs manual correction. Some of his notes were in pencil on thin notebook paper and were not legible in lower-resolution scans. Because his notes are handwritten, OCR isn't much use, and the resulting files are large: a 116-page scan of one notebook came to nearly 190 megabytes. Developmental biologist Kelly Smith and her group used a Ricoh MP C4503, a combination photocopier-printer, to digitize protocols and key experiments when she moved her lab to the University of Melbourne, Australia, a year ago, because she had to leave the physical copies at her previous institution. Since moving, however, her lab has abandoned paper notebooks in favour of an electronic system from LabArchives in Carlsbad, California. Sharma recommends scanning in colour and at a resolution of300 dpi. Because eRecordsUSA handles mainly historical documents, it has equipment that is specifically designed for delicate bindings, including a V-cradle scanner that stops the book from opening fully, and an overhead scanner.