ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 14 / C&RL News Selecting a preservation photocopy machine By D orothy W. Wright Factors to consider when purchasing equipm ent I nhouse preservation photocopy is becom ­ ing a more com m on feature of library pres­ ervation programs today. Increasingly, librar­ ians are relying on preservation photocopies to replace brittle books in circulating collec­ tions, particularly those that are highly used or of local interest. Selecting copying equipm ent that insures the perm anence and durability of photocopied images is a critical aspect o f any inhouse preservation p h o to co p y operation. Suitability for production copying is another important consideration. A variety of photocopi­ ers on the market today are capable of produc­ ing archival quality copies. Their widely vary­ ing features and costs can make a purchasing decision very difficult. With funding from a U.S. D epartm ent of Education Title IIC grant, the A. R. Mann Li­ brary at Cornell University began a preserva­ tion photocopy program in 1991 to reformat brittle books in Cornell’s Entomology Library collection. The process we undertook and the criteria we used to select a photocopy machine are described. Archival q u a lity and im age adherence For archival quality photocopies1 it is impor­ tant not only that the paper used for copying adhere to standards of perm anence and dura­ bility2 but also that the stability of the toner, the carrier, and the fusing process o f the p h o ­ tocopier be considered. A Government Print­ ing Office report on archival xerographic copy­ ing summarizes studies on the materials used in archival copying and factors that influence the fix quality of toner to paper.3 Archivability is based upon the individual stabilities o f the pap er and toner and on the initial strength of the bond betw een these materials. Time, tem ­ perature, and pressure have b een identified as the important parameters in hot roll fusing. The ability to evaluate the fusing property of toner to paper is essential to determining the suitability of a copier for preservation copy­ ing purposes. Numerous laboratory tests have been devised to evaluate the fix quality of toner to paper. A simple on-site pass or fail “Tape Pull Test” has been developed that correlates very well with the results of the laboratory abra­ sion test, ASTM D3458, part 24, “Retention of Print Contrast after Abrasion” for determining adhesion of the image onto the paper.4 For this simple procedure, a 3-4" strip of 3M #240 drafting tape is placed on a photo­ copy of a test target5 (a black ring, a black rect­ angle, and a 1" black strip) covering as much of the black ring as possible. The tape is rubbed 5-6 times with four fingers. The tape strip is peeled off the paper and the adhesive side of the tape examined. If the curved image of the test pattern is detected (i.e., black toner on the adhesive), the copier fails the test and cannot be considered for archival photocopying.6 This test was invaluable in determining the suitabil­ ity o f copiers for preservation purposes. Selection process We designated a Photocopy Selection Commit­ tee (com posed of the preservation librarian, preservation technician, and several other li­ brary staff members) to evaluate and select our preservation copier. We began by developing a list o f required and desirable specifications for the copier. The primary requirem ent for all Dorothy W. Wright is preservation librarian a t Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Ja n u a ry 1 9 9 4 /1 5 preservation copy machines was consistently passing the Tape Pull Test. Other required speci­ fications included: • minim um copying capacity o f 50,000 copies per month; • duplexing capability • a maximum five-second first copy speed (very important since all preservation photo­ copies are essentially first copies); • accurate registration of the photocopied image on each side o f a duplexed page (top to bottom and side to side); • excellent contrast and clarity of p hoto­ copied images; • excellent local service; • ease of use. O ther desirable features included: • pap er size to 11" x 17" (for copying over­ sized books and foldouts); • photo or half-tone mode; • edge copier for copying bound books. In addition, w e looked at warm -up time, copies per minute, maximum and minimum copy size, p ap er cassette capacity, toner type, reduction and enlargem ent range, margin shift, margin erase, and estim ated drum, toner, and developer life and costs. Purchase price was also an important consideration since w e had a limited am ount of m oney budgeted for the copier. We found it helpful to solicit advice from librarians managing inhouse photocopy opera­ tions and from commercial preservation p h o ­ tocopy vendors to find out w hat machines were u sed and why. Although no consensus was expressed am ong those w e spoke with as to the ideal preservation photocopier, it was use­ ful to learn w hat type of copiers others w ere using, their level of satisfaction, and features deem ed im portant. Consistently passing the tape pull test, copy quality, cost, service, first copy speed, volume of work, and features such as a photo m ode w ere most frequently m en­ tioned as important criteria to consider. Vendors Local photocopy vendors supplied us with sales brochures for brands which met our initial list of specifications. We reviewed the sales litera­ ture and independent evaluations (i.e., Library Technology Reports) for copiers we w ere ini­ tially interested in. After a close evaluation of the literature and discussion with each vendor, w e narrow ed our search to seven models. We visited locations on campus that had these m od­ els and, either alone or with the salesperson, tested each copier’s archival quality with the tape pull test, cop ied sam ple pages from a brittle book to determ ine copy quality and ease o f use, and assessed the suitability o f each machine for our purposes. In addition to test­ ing the machines, w e contacted the references supplied by each vendor. The references were important in determining the reliability of the m achine and the vendor’s service reputation. Testing the machines We found it extremely useful to test the copi­ ers w e w ere considering under actual working conditions. We arranged to have three machines loaned to us for one-w eek trial periods. Dur­ ing each one-w eek trial, four mem bers o f the Preservation Unit staff copied brittle volumes The ability to evaluate the fu sin g property o f toner to pa p er is essential to determ ining the suitability o f a copier f o r preser­ vation copying purposes. on a daily basis. This allowed us to get an ac­ curate sense o f each m achine’s suitability for preservation photocopying. An evaluation form w as developed to objectively com pare each copier (see page 18). We looked at the follow­ ing factors: 1) Tape pull test—each copier was tested daily and had to consistently pass the tape pull test. 2) Photocopy set-up— we w ere interested in com paring how easy it was to set up unique tem plates for each book copied (ease can vary depending on the platen’s shape, size, and ori­ entation); w hether, w h en using a tem plate, shadow s appeared on the copies and copying workflow (again, dependent on the size, shape, and orientation of the copier and platen). We w ere also concerned about the weight of the copier lid w hich is o p en ed and closed repeat­ edly during the copying process and could becom e fatiguing over time. We w ere inter­ ested in know ing w hether it was possible to m ove the copier lid back 45° out o f the way and to use a lightweight cardboard cover in­ stead. 1 6 / C&RL News PHONEDISC® TAKES THE LEGWORK OUT O F PHONE BOOKS. The ph o n e com pany’s tip to “Let references was never easier. yourfìngers do the walking' works jusl PhoneDisc® USA R esid en tial and fine when you’re looking for som eone PhoneDisc® USA B u sin ess are the in th e sam e town. But this advice can m ost com plete, accurate and economi­ get mighty frustrating when you’re cal telephone datab ases available looking through hundreds of phone today! And they'll sta y th a t way, books for your Great Aunt Emma in b ecause they are up d ated quarterly. Iowa. 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Buy one region on one Imagine: The equivalent of several your search to certain states, cities, disc for $129. to n s of printed residential and busi­ zip codes or area codes. ness phone books-weighing just PhoneDisc® USA B u sin ess lists o u n ces-a t your beck and call. large, medium, small and even tiny PhoneDisc® is a lot easier to use than businesses. In addition to looking up p ap er directories, too: Simply type in a com pany by name, its reverse th e person's name, and th e powerful indexes allow you to se arc h by busi­ built-in se arc h program will find ness type, SIC code, street, ad d re ss or his/her ad d ress and phone num ber phone num ber. Finding a supplier, instantly! starting a job se arc h or checking Ja n u a ry 1 9 9 4 / 1 7 3) Copy quality—w e w anted to com pare the contrast and clarity of the copies on the text, line drawings, illustrations, and photographs. Since w e w ould be copying many scientific il­ lustrations and drawings, this was a crucial con­ sideration. The range of contrast settings is very im portant in insuring the clearest copy pos­ sible, particularly with illustrated materials. 4) Registration— registration is affected by the route the p ap er takes as it passes through the m achine in the duplex mode. Consistently accurate registration is extremely im portant in producing exact facsimiles. 5) Duplexing speed—w e w ere interested in how quickly the machine could copy both sides o f the paper. 6) Copier controls—w e w anted copier con­ trols displayed in a clear, obvious, easy-to-use manner. In addition, placem ent of the controls was another important consideration. We found that the co p ier controls o n som e m achines w ould inadvertently and repeatedly be hit in setting up the tem plate and using the machine. 7) Environmental variables— this includes factors such as the heat and noise generated by the machine, and the height, size, and physi­ cal aspects that affect comfort in using the copier for prolonged periods. 8) W arm-up time and speed— how quickly the m achine w arm ed up after turning it on and first copy speed w ere also considered. 9) Any other comments— anything not cov­ ered by the above categories or additional notes w ere included at the end. Evaluating an d choosing Each factor was evaluated on a scale of 1-5 (l=low est, 5=highest) with a total of 110 points possible. The four staff mem bers testing the machines completed an evaluation form for each copier. At the end o f the test period the results w ere averaged for each copier. In addition to the copier evaluations, we also considered price, service agreem ent, and references in our final d e c isio n . O f th e th re e c o p ie rs w e te s te d (Minolta 5400, Savin 9710, and Konica 4045), w e chose the Konica copier with an average score of 96.6 out of 110 possible points. It should be noted, however, that given changing xero­ graphic technology and new er copier models on the market, w e might choose a different copier if w e w ere to repeat this exercise today. The copier met all our required and desir­ able features except that it did not have a photo mode. Having seen the photo m ode on other machines, w e did not consider this to be a se­ rious drawback. The Konica does a satisfactory job of copying photographs and half tone illus­ trations. The cost of the m achine and the ser­ vice agreem ent w ere very reasonable. In addi­ tion to a five-year, one million copy warranty, the dealer also agreed to p ut in writing as part o f our service contract that the m achine w ould be repaired or replaced if it ever failed to pass the tape pull test. O ther vendors w e spoke to w ould not agree to this added stipulation in the service contract. For archival copying, this is an extremely im portant consideration and every effort should b e m ade to include this provision in your m aintenance agreement. Conclusion We have found that an excellent service agree­ ment and reliable repair technicians are am ong the most important factors to a successful pres­ ervation photocopying program. To maintain optimal copy quality, the machine must be ser­ viced m ore frequently than a regular office copier. In addition, preservation photocopying It should be noted that given changing xerographic technol­ ogy a n d newer copier models on the market, we m ight choose a different copier today. w ith rep eated , individual, d u p le x e d copies seem s to cause more w ear and tear on a copier than the single or multiple copies typically made in general office copying. W hen selecting a preservation copier, be sure to look carefully at the manufacturer’s claim of minimum monthly co p y in g c a p acity to ac c u ra tely g a u g e th e copier’s durability over time for your projected volum e of copying. Although it is impossible to fully anticipate the dependability and durability of any copier you purchase, there are m any important fac­ tors to consider w hen evaluating copiers for a preservation p h o to co p y program . O nce the archival quality o f the copier is established, a careful evaluation (including an inhouse trial period) of copy quality, registration, speed, cost, service, monthly copying capacity, and other features o f several copiers can be undertaken using an evaluation form to com pare each. Using references to ascertain the reliability of 18 / C&RL News Copier evaluation form the product and service reputation of the dealer are also very important. This systematic, com­ parative approach to preservation photocopy selection w as invaluable in determ ining the most suitable machine for our needs. Notes 1The ALA ALCTS RLMS Copying Committee will soon publish Guidelines f o r Preservation Pho­ tocopying which describes procedures for pro­ ducing preservation photocopies. A pplicable standards are ANSI Z39.48-1984, Perm anence of Paper for Printed Library Mate­ rials; ASTM D3290-86, Bond and Ledger Paper for Perm anent Records; ASTM D3458-85, Cop­ ies from Office Copying Machines for Perma­ nent Records. äSylvia S. Y. Subt and John G. Koloski, Ar­ chival Xerographic Copying: Special Develop­ m e n t S tu d y f o r the N a tio n a l A rch ives a n d Record Adm inistration, GPO Jacket no. 484- 988 Final Report, August 25, 1987 (Washing­ ton, D.C.: GPO, 1987). 4Norvell M. M. Jones, A rchival Copies o f T h e rm o fa x , V erifa x, a n d o th e r U nsta b le Records, National Archives Technical Informa­ tion Paper no. 5 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1990). 5The test target may be obtained from the Special Media Preservation Branch, National Ar­ chives, Washington, DC 20408. Contact Steve Puglia at (202) 501-5370 for current cost and ordering information. 6It should be noted that some copiers can be modified to pass the tape pull test by ad­ justing internal pressure and fusing tem pera­ ture to increase the degree o f adhesion of toner to paper. ■