Books will be Digitized and Searchable on Microsoft Live Search Books
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Kirtas Technologies, a leading innovator and provider of digital scanning solutions, today announced it will provide high-quality digitization services to Yale University Library, in conjunction with the company's agreement with Microsoft Corp. to digitize books for Live Search Books.
The project will initially focus on digitization of 100,000 out-of-copyright English-language books that may not be available at other institutions. Beginning in early 2008, the University's collection will gradually become available through Microsoft's Live Search interface (http://books.live.com), enabling students, scholars, and readers to use them anywhere in the world. With approximately thirteen million volumes throughout its system, Yale University boasts one of the most extensive and unique academic libraries in the world.
"We are delighted and honored to be selected by Yale University and Microsoft to digitize some of the unique and amazing items that they hold," said Dr. Lotfi Belkhir, CEO and Founder of Kirtas Technologies. "Through this relationship, hundreds of years of invaluable knowledge will be moved from books to bytes and become accessible to millions around the world."
Yale and Microsoft selected Kirtas Technologies for its radically innovative book-scanning technology and its unique digitization expertise. The Library has successfully worked with Kirtas in a previous digitization project, as well.
"As part of our agreement with Yale, we'll be opening a satellite service bureau in New Haven," said Mark Klein, Director of Operations at Kirtas. "And while our New Haven facility will be fully staffed, our production process allows for remote access, which means it will be fully integrated with our Victor operation."
In addition to being the fastest robotic book scanner in the world, Kirtas' APT BookScan 2400, coupled with the BookScan Editor PRO software, delivers unrivaled image quality while handling books more gently than the human hand.
Kirtas Quality Services-the company's in-house service bureau that employs more than 75 image technicians and operates three shifts- has mastered a proprietary digitization process that guarantees an overall error rate lower than one per 10,000 pages, ensuring quality mass digitization that will meet the highest standards and endure the test of time.
"This collaboration will allow the Yale Library to give international digital access to our rare and uniquely held materials," said Alice Prochaska, Yale University Librarian. "We have been extremely pleased by the work that Kirtas has done for us in the past and we look forward to working with them again on this exciting project. We are also delighted that Kirtas will be opening an office in the New Haven area."
"This is a significant alliance for Microsoft, and we look forward to collaborating with the Yale University Library," said Danielle Tiedt, General Manager of the Live Search Books selection team at Microsoft. "The Library has a wealth of materials in its general and special collections, and we are delighted to help bring these treasures to the attention of a broader audience."
About Kirtas Technologies
Kirtas Technologies was founded in 2001 with the vision of bringing to the digital realm the massive knowledge sitting on library shelves, government archives and corporate storerooms. Today, the company's revolutionary technology redefines digitization of all bound documents, delivering gentler handling and higher image quality faster, with fewer errors, and at a lower cost than any other solution in the marketplace. For more information, visit http://www.kirtastech.com .
About Yale University Library
One of the world's leading research libraries, Yale University Library is a full partner in teaching, research, and learning at Yale and is visited by scholars from around the world. A distinctive strength is its rich spectrum of resources, including approximately thirteen million volumes and information in all media, ranging from ancient papyri to early printed books to electronic databases. The Library is engaging in numerous projects to expand access to its physical and digital collections. Housed in twenty-two buildings including the Sterling Memorial Library and the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, it employs a dynamic staff of nearly six-hundred who offer innovative and flexible services to library readers. To learn more about Yale University Library and its collections and services, visit http://www.library.yale.edu .
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