[ILL-L] OCR

[Ledja Cullen]

OCR (optical character recognition) is important because it helps people
with disabilities access and/or better comprehend the printed word.  I
worked in an assistive technology lab where all we did was convert text
books to electronic format for students with disabilities--this included
performing OCR on the scanned documents.  Performing OCR on scanned
documents allows the text to be read by screen readers (see any
university disability resource center web page and you will quickly find
information on assistive technologies such as screen readers--many
libraries include this information on their web sites as well--SF Public
is a great example
http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/librarylocations/accessservices/access.htm).
 
(preaching to the choir here) As librarians, we are concerned with
equal access to information and improving literacy skills.  I think
performing OCR on ILL PDFs should be standard practice.  A patron
submitting an ILL may not identify themselves as a person with a
disability.  If it's not possible to perform OCR on all documents and
clean up these documents (although accuracy has greatly improved),
perhaps we should have something on our ILL submission forms that
provides the option for patrons with disabilities to select this
service.  Does anyone already do this?  
 
I am a new ILL librarian, and I'm glad this discussion came up on the
list because I can now start thinking about how to incorporate this into
my library's current procedures.  
 
Two ofmany sources of information on this subject:
http://atrc.utoronto.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=9

http://www.greatschools.net/LD/assistive-technology/research-trends-reading-machines-for-students-with-ld.gs?content=921&page=all

 
Best,
Ledja
 
Ledja Cullen
Reference & Evening Services Librarian
Interlibrary Loans & Course Reserves
Golden Gate University - Law Library
536 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: (415) 442-6689
Fax: (415) 512-9395
Email: lcullen at ggu.edu 
http://www.ggu.edu/lawlibrary 


>>> "Sara Fitzpatrick" <sfitzp at webster.edu> 9/3/2009 9:51 AM >>>

Why would a patron need OCR for an ILL article? As far as I know, we’ve
never had that request.
 
Sara Fitzpatrick
Interlibrary Loan
Webster University Library
Eden-Webster Library System (ELW)
Phone 314-246-7807
Fax 314-968-7113
ill at webster.edu
 
 
 
 

From:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Connie Neuman
(MDH)
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 10:13 AM
To: ill-l at webjunction.org 
Subject: [ILL-L] OCR

 
How are your libraries handling requests from patrons who need OCR
(optical character recognition) for their articles? Are you offering it
at all? Do you offer it only if the patron requests it? Have you never
heard about it?  
 
Connie J Neuman
 
NOTICE: THIS MATERIAL MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW (TITLE 17 US
CODE)
 
Barr Library at the Minnesota Department of Health
625 Robert Street North, PO Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
651-201-5095
connie.neuman at state.mn.us 
 
Striving to deliver the right resources at the right time
 
Barr Library
health.library at state.mn.us 
651-201-5090
651-201-5099 (fax)
 
 
 
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