Our Services
What is digital preservation and how does it work?
Digital preservation is the practice of using digital cameras to capture high-quality images of heritage items to preserve the longevity of physical items and make the content of the materials more accessible.
What is microfilm/microfiche and how is it used in preservation??
As an analogue alternative to digital capture, microfilm and microfiche are produced by capturing images of heritage materials onto reels and sheets of film which can be displayed on a projector/reader.
Microfilm usually consists of 16mm or 35mm reels of film, whereas microfiche is a collection of images on a usually A6-sized card.
What are the advantages of microfilm and digital preservation
Both microfilm and digital preservation offer unique advantages. Digital preservation provides an accessible and adaptable option with reduced physical storage.
Microfilm provides an analogue alternative that does not succumb to technological errors or upgrades and is incredibly robust. The longevity of microfilm is unmatched too – high quality microfilm can last for up to 500 years.
What types of materials can be preserved by UK Archiving?
With our extensive experience in preservation, UK Archiving can capture a wide range of heritage items, regardless of their size or shape. Our microfilm equipment can preserve any type of flat material, and we can digitally preserve even more materials, including 3D objects.
What are the benefits of capturing digital images in RAW format?
A RAW image is a file that contains the ‘raw’ or unprocessed data and settings from the camera’s image sensor during exposure.
When it comes to editing images, working with a RAW file retains maximum image quality and provides us with a greater deal of flexibility regarding the image settings such as exposure, colour, and white balance.
How does UK Archiving handle fragile and delicate materials?
At UK Archiving, our staff are specially trained to handle fragile, damaged and old materials.
We handle materials as little as possible during filming and do not use flatbed scanners or the like – our staff carefully handle all our materials individually to ensure that they are not mishandled or damaged, and we use cotton gloves when handling photographic and film materials.
On-site and Off-site Preservation Services
Can you preserve materials on-site at our location?
UK Archiving, though based in Scotland, has experience working on projects throughout and beyond the UK and we are happy to discuss any on-site digital preservation projects that you might require outside of the UK.
Do you offer on-site preservation services internationally?
UK Archiving, though based in Scotland, has experience working on projects throughout and beyond the UK and we are happy to discuss any on-site digital preservation projects that you might require outside of the UK.
Where are you located?
You can find us in Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of the SDM Holdings family headquartered in London, England. For more details, please refer to our contact page.
What are the options for sending materials to your office?
You have several options available to transport your materials to our Edinburgh office for preservation. We can arrange to have your materials delivered to us via courier or our experienced staff can collect them directly.
Alternatively, if you wish to arrange your own delivery of materials, we are happy to accommodate this. Please get in touch with us to discuss the most suitable transport methods for you.
Pricing and Payment
What is the pricing structure for your services?
Our pricing is typically based on the unique scope and complexities of each project. However, for most of our projects we charge a rate per image for digital projects and per reel for microfilm projects.
At the beginning of the process, we will calculate the estimated fee based on the approximate number of final images/reels that we expect to produce, which is then adjusted once the project is completed. There can also be additional costs added depending on additional requirements of the project such as on-site work or material repair, which we will discuss with you in the initial planning stages.
What factors determine the costs of your services?
We understand that each preservation project has unique requirements, and our pricing is bespoke to reflect this. Please call, email, or use our contact form to reach out to us and we will be happy to discuss the specific needs of your project.
From this point we can establish any complex requirements or additional costs and provide you with a tailored quote for our services.
Are there any potential additional costs beyond the initial estimate?
No. We always endeavour to be transparent about the additional costs you might expect when conducting our initial consultations.
Upon your initial discussions with us, we will provide extensive details on additional costs that our services include and will ensure that nothing is agreed until all parties are aware of every aspect of the services we offer and their costs.
Examples of additional costs include on-site digitisation work, additional administrative costs, additional surrogacy creation, additional microfilm duplication and any of the additional services included on our additional services page.
Security
How do you ensure secure storage of materials?
Our Edinburgh office, shared with the National Library of Scotland and the National Trust, provides us with a secure environment to store and work with heritage materials.
How do you ensure secure transport of materials?
We offer secure transportation options for your materials. We can arrange to have your materials sent to our Edinburgh office via courier, or to be picked up personally by our specially trained staff.
Using these methods, we strive to ensure safe transport for even the most fragile and delicate of heritage items.
Miscellaneous
Do you have health and safety processes?
At UK Archiving, we prioritise the health and safety of our staff and clients. Our comprehensive health and safety processes are outlined in our Occupational Health and Safety Policy.
You can access the policy
here.
What policies does the company follow?
UK Archiving adheres to strict policies and accreditations established by our parent company, SDM Holdings. These policies cover various aspects of our operations, ensuring compliance and excellence in service delivery.
For further details, please refer to the comprehensive list of policies and accreditations available on the SDM Holdings website.
Where can I find policies and accreditations?
For a detailed overview of our company policies and accreditations, we encourage you to visit the dedicated page on the SDM Holdings website.
This page provides comprehensive information on the standards and regulations we adhere to, ensuring transparency and accountability in our operations.
Access the policies and accreditations page
here.
