About the service
The Library invites UC Berkeley students, faculty, instructors, and visiting scholars who have a disability that necessitates alternative media to request that print materials from library collections be converted to digital format for them. The Library is able to provide this service only for users who are verified as eligible within the campus system.
Berkeley students: If you feel you are eligible for this service, please contact the Disabled Students’ Program. That office authorizes student users of this service.
Berkeley faculty, instructors, and visiting scholars: If you feel you are eligible for this service, please complete this alt-media scanning request form. Once approved, a note will be added to your Library account indicating that you are approved for the scanning service.
If the item you’d like converted is held by The Bancroft Library, see our Bancroft digitization section, below.
Overview
The Library aims to provide the person with a copy of the item in digital format within five business days from the date it reaches the digitization unit. Exact time may vary based on the number of items and size of items submitted within the same period. Student requests take priority.
There are a number of reasons that material requested through UC Library Search may not immediately make it to the digitization unit. Any of the following may impact the turnaround time for a request:
- If an item that does not have the status AVAILABLE is requested, UC Library search will attempt to fill the request from another UC or outside the UC system. We cannot guarantee a delivery time.
- If an item cannot be found in the library it was requested from, even though it says it is AVAILABLE, again the system will automatically look for an alternative copy, either at another UC or outside the UC system.
- The user neglects to put LSP in the comment field when making the request.
- Staffing shortages at NRLF due to the pandemic have reduced delivery schedules, so requests for NRLF materials will be delayed.
If in a rush, we recommend that the user check out the material from the owning library and tell the circulation desk that it needs to be sent to the scanning unit. This will greatly expedite the process.
Eligible materials
The Library’s scanning service covers all printed materials that are owned by or can be borrowed by the UC Berkeley Library. Ineligible items include items larger than the scanner can support (such as double folios), and items which are already in digital formats (such as items in Internet Archive).
Eligible students can also request materials that have been scanned and deposited in HathiTrust, even if they are not presented there as “full view” materials. If you locate a title in HathiTrust that is not viewable, send the link to the item, as well as the title and author, to prntscan@lists.berkeley.edu.
How to request scanning of material owned by the UC Berkeley Library
Follow the steps below to place your request through our catalog, UC Library Search.
- Search UC Library Search for the material you want scanned.
- Sign in with your Calnet login.
- Choose “Request” for items available in one of our libraries.
- In the request form, choose the pickup location: “Print Disabilities Services (Doe Library)”. If your screen reader will not navigate to this option, choose “Doe Library” and type ”LSP” in the comment field.
- Click on “Send Request”
If the book is not owned by one of our libraries, you can choose Request through Interlibrary Loan. The request form will be pre-filled with the item information and your email address. At the bottom of the form, choose the location: Print Disabilities Services (Doe Library) or, if your screen reader will not navigate to this option, choose Doe Library and in the comment field, type LSP.
Note: You will not have to pick up the book. If you do receive a notice that the book is on hold for you, please contact the Library at maincirc-library@berkeley.edu to let them know this item should be scanned.
Steps to retrieve the digital copy you’ve requested
When the scan is available, you will receive an email notification with a link for you to download it.
- Click on the link and log in with your CalNet ID and password.
- Download the digital file. (The first page of the file includes a copyright statement confirming that the scan was created for your personal use.)
- Save your personal copy. (The Library’s link will only be active for a limited time after you first download the file.)
Request scanning of a journal article
Many articles are available online through the Library’s databases. Librarians are available to help you locate the resources you need. Articles that cannot be accessed in full text through Library databases can be requested using the article request form.
Requesting full conversion of print materials in Bancroft Library collections to digital format for students with print disabilities
The Library invites students with print disabilities, who are registered with the Disabled Students’ Program and have a disability that necessitates alternative media, to request that copies of printed materials from the Bancroft Library be converted to digital format. Please note the following:
- The Library aims to provide the user with a copy of the item in digital format within an average of five business days from the date it is delivered to Digitization Services. Exact time may vary based on the number of items and the size of items submitted within the same period.
- Scans will be handled in the order they are received, with one item scanned for each user waiting before second items will be handled for anyone.
- The person requesting the item will receive an email notification when the digital file is ready.
- The email will include a link to download the digital file.
- The Library will review the first fifteen pages of the OCR (optical character recognition) and edit the digital copy for any obvious errors. Please note, that OCR does not work on all fonts, especially older fonts.
- The item will be available as a Word document and as a searchable PDF.
If you are eligible for this service, please contact the Disabled Students’ Program. That office verifies eligibility and authorizes users of this service. The Library is able to provide this service only for users who are verified as eligible within the campus system.
Eligible materials
Through this service Library staff will create a complete, cover-to-cover scan of printed, published book-length material to facilitate access to the content of the work for users requiring alternative media formats. The Library’s scanning service covers:
- All printed, published materials owned by the University Library and listed in UC Library Search.
- Ineligible items include handwritten materials, manuscripts, items larger than the scanner can support, fragile items, or items with access or donor restrictions. Please note that any Bancroft items that are also held by another UC Berkeley Library or are already in digital formats (such as from Internet Archive) should be requested from that library or via Interlibrary Loan.
Steps to request scanning of items
- Search the Library catalog, UC Library Search. (See eligibility requirements listed above).
- Send an email with a direct link to the catalog record to Lorna Kirwan.
- Lorna Kirwan will confirm that you are registered with DSP and are eligible for this service and that the item you requested can be scanned. She will submit a duplication order on your behalf via Bancroft’s request system.
Steps to retrieve the digital copy
- You will receive an email notification when the PDF and Word documents are available. The message will include a link to an online site for you to download your personal digital copy.
- Download the digital files. The first page of the file includes a copyright statement confirming that the scan was created for your personal use.
- Save your personal copy, since the Library’s link will only be active for a limited time.