Digitizing the Collection

During 2003, JJT, Inc., of Austin, Texas, scanned the National Child Labor Committee Collection. They used an overhead Sinar 54 digital camera to scan the 5127 photographic prints (measuring in sizes ranging between 3.5 x 3.5 inches and 5 x 7 inches) and the 355 glass negatives (measuring either 4 x 6 inches or 5 x 7 inches). The images of photographic prints were captured in color (and the glass negatives captured in grayscale) at a spatial resolution of approximately 5,000 pixels on the long side and a tonal resolution of 8 bits per pixel.

With today's resources, these high-resolution images require significantly increased costs, particularly in time spent capturing, inspecting, and loading the files. For most collections in the Prints and Photographs Division, online digital images, even at lower resolutions, play an important preservation role as surrogates that reduce handling of the original pictures. The high-quality master and derivative files are available online. One digital image of each photographic print displays in each bibliographic record. Two digital images display for items that have a both a photographic print and a negative.

Jump to: Specifications for the Photographic Prints | Specifications for the Glass Negatives

Specifications for the Photographic Prints

Uncompressed Archival Images

Compressed Service Images

Thumbnail Images

Specifications for the Glass Negatives

Uncompressed Archival Images

Compressed Service Images

Thumbnail Images