The Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) has a new addition to its roster of public services, one that will make research and study easier for many Tennesseans.
The Zeta Book Scanner was installed at the TSLA building last month. The new piece of equipment makes scanning books or documents a free, quick, and easy process.
"The Library and Archives continues to find new technology to better serve its customers, the taxpayers of Tennessee," Secretary of State Tre Hargett said. "This scanner has proven to help bring the research materials that were previously only available in the library to people's fingertips across the state, making the library resources more accessible and easier to use."
"We have already received a positive response from patrons who have used the new scanning technology," Director of Public Services Gordon Belt said. "It can be very cost effective for those who require multiple copies since we don't charge patrons to store documents on their own storage devices."
The Zeta Book Scanner is currently located in the South Reading Room of the Public Services Section in the TSLA building. The device allows a patron to scan pages from a book and then store the scans on a flash drive or any other storage device with a USB port. It can scan in PDF, TIF, and JPG formats, as well as in black-and-white or color. Once an item is scanned, the size of the document can be adjusted on the touch panel. The image is automatically saved on the storage device.
The scanner also helps preserve the books. Turning a book over and pressing it down on a copier is bad for the bindings of many of the delicate books found at TSLA. This scanner, which scans books upright, with no crushing or turning necessary, helps to protect TSLA's collection of many rare and valuable items.
There is no charge for scanning a document on to your own USB storage device, but there is a suggested time limit for use of the equipment. TSLA recommends that each patron limit use of the machine to no more than 30 minutes.
To use the scanner, please visit TSLA, located at 403 Seventh Avenue North, just west of the state Capitol in downtown Nashville. Limited parking is available in front, beside and behind the building. The library is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.