Recollection Studio

A DIY Digitization Lab at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh believes that our community’s history and culture are important and worth preserving! The Recollection Studio is our commitment to preserving our neighborhood’s diverse voices, knowledge and history.

The Recollection Studio supports the effective use and application of digitization technology to preserve cultural heritage materials through a Do-It-Yourself model. The dedicated space provides hardware, software, and documentation to digitize a variety of formats, from photographs to videos.

The studio is available by appointment only. There are two types of appointments: Audio/Visual Digitization and Photograph/Document Scanning. Each appointment is two hours long. The Recollection Studio is on the 3rd floor of CLP – Main (Oakland).

For more information, please view the Frequently Asked Questions flyer.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Supported Formats:

• Photographs
• Negatives
• Slides
• Documents
• Bound Print Materials
• Artwork
• 8mm film reels
• Super 8 film reels
• VHS tapes
• VHS-C tapes
• 8mm video format (Hi8, Video8, Digital8)
• Audio cassette tapes
• Micro cassette tapes
• DVDs
• Mini DVDs
• CDs

Unsupported Formats:

• 16-mm film
• Betamax
• MiniDV tapes
• Reel to reel audio
• Mini-cassette tapes

If you have a working device capable of playing an unsupported format, you may be able to bring the device in to digitize your items using Studio equipment. Please contact the Recollection Studio in advance to discuss your needs. Appointments are still required.

Supported Storage Devices

CLP does not provide storage for digital files. Recollection Studio users will need to supply their own storage. We recommend a minimum of 2 GB device for image files and a minimum 4-6 GB device for audio and video files.

• External hard drives – compatible with macOS
• USB drives
• DVD and CD (not recommended for long-term preservation)
• Cloud storage software:
  • Dropbox (2GB of free storage space)
  • Google Drive (15GB of free storage space)

USB drives may be available for purchase at the Customer Service Desk on the First Floor; however, availability cannot be guaranteed.

Estimated Length of Digitization Time:

Digitization varies by media type. For picture/document media formats, scan time will vary depending on the resolution settings, number of images per scan, and file format. Higher resolutions and multiple images will increase scan time. For audio/visual materials, conversion time will vary based on format. Below are some examples:

• 25 slides scanned at 2400 dpi will take about 40 minutes to digitize
• VHS and Audio cassette tapes are captured in real time
  • 60-minute tape will take approximately 60 minutes to record
• 8mm/Super8 film reels take 10 minutes per minute of film
  • 3-inch reels hold about 50 feet of film (approximately 3 minutes of footage) and will take about 30 minutes to scan
  • 5-inch reels hold about 200 feet of film (approximately 12-14 minutes of footage) and will take about 2 hours to scan

Documents To Review Before Arriving at Studio

• Recollection Studio Terms and Conditions
  • In order to book an appointment, you will be prompted to accept the Recollection Studio Terms & Conditions
• PS-32: Computer Use Policy
• PS-44: Copyright Policy

Featured Hardware:

• 27″ iMac computers
• Craig Micro Cassette Recorder (Model: CR8003)
• CZUR ET 25 Pro Scanner
• External DVD/CD Drives
• Epson Expression 11000XL Scanner (flatbed size: 12.2″ x 17.2″)
• Epson Perfection v800 Photo Scanner (flatbed size: 8.5″ x 11.7″)
• Epson Perfection v600 Photo Scanner (flatbed size: 8.5″ x 11.7″)
• Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
• i2S CopiBook OS Book Scanner
• JBL M-Patch 2
• LG QHD 32-Inch Computer Monitors
• Panasonic Palmcorder PalmSight VHS-C Camcorder (Models: PVL-558 & PVL-L657)
• Panasonic Video Cassette Recorder (Models AG-5710 & PV-V4601)
• Sharp Viewcam Video8 Camcorder (Model: VL-E600)
• Sony videoHi8 Handycam Vision (Model: CCD-TRV68 MTSC)
• Sony Video Cassette Recorder (Model: SLV-N55)
• Tendak Floppy Disk Reader
• Wolverine Film2Digital MovieMaker 8mm/Super8 Film Scanner

Featured Software:

• Audacity
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• CZUR Scanner Application
• Elgato Video Capture
• Handbrake
• Open Broadcaster Software (OPS)
• Scantheus
• VueScan

Questions? Contact the Recollection Studio at recollectionstudio@carnegielibrary.org.