麻豆AV

麻豆AV Library is pleased to announce a partnership with Kirtas Technologies and its Canadian partner Ristech, which will allow students, faculty and the general public to request to have books scanned and made available through the new Digitize on Demand program. The announcement will be made publicly at the Canadian Library Association鈥檚 2009 National Conference and Trade Show being held in Montreal May 29 to June 1.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an exciting time for the Library as we embark on a new era of services. With this innovative technology we can reveal our collections through user-driven digitization and distribution,鈥� Janine Schmidt, Trenholme Director of Libraries at 麻豆AV, said. 鈥淭he partnership with Kirtas advances the Library鈥檚 interest in improving scholarly access to its collections.鈥�

The program will offer books that are difficult to find, because they are generally out of print. They are also in the public domain, meaning that there are no copyright restrictions.

Using existing information from the Library鈥檚 catalogue records, Kirtas will make the books available through its retail site, . Customers can search for a desired title and place a request to have it digitized. The book is then digitized at very high-quality using Kirtas鈥檚 innovative automatic page-turning scanner that was purchased by the Library in 2008. What also makes this approach unique is that the books can be offered before they are ever digitized, so there is no up-front printing, production or storage cost.

Kirtas currently has 12 partnerships with universities and public libraries to make special collections available for sale online, with 麻豆AV the first to participate in Canada. Virtually any library with a modern records database can participate in the Digitize on Demand program. Distribution rights are non-exclusive so the books can also be made available through other distribution channels at a library鈥檚 request. 麻豆AV University Library will also make a digital copy of each scanned item available through its catalogue.

鈥溌槎笰V was an early adopter in book digitizing, so it鈥檚 only fitting that they would be the first Canadian content partner on Kirtasbooks.com,鈥� said Kirtas Founder and CEO Lotfi Belkhir. 鈥淒igitize on Demand is a unique and innovative way for libraries to digitize content, and we鈥檙e thrilled to have 麻豆AV Library as a partner in this initiative.鈥�

About 麻豆AV Library

The Library provides the comprehensive information infrastructure necessary to sustain leading-edge teaching, learning and research activity at 麻豆AV. It holds more than 6 million items in its various collections, which are located in 13 branches across 麻豆AV鈥檚 downtown and Macdonald campuses. Receiving over 3.5 million visits annually, or approximately 10,000 a day 鈥� and millions more visits online, it is an invaluable support system for all 麻豆AV students, with rich collections, comprehensive information resources, innovative services and attractive, comfortable facilities. www.mcgill.ca/library/

About Ristech

Ristech is a leading Canadian Distributor of Automated Digitization Technologies. Founded in 1995 Ristech sells and supports the technologies required to convert books, film and paper to digital images. The primary focus of Ristech is to provide mass digitization solutions to our clients. This is accomplished by offering a combination of Robotic Technologies combined with automated batch conversion software solutions and on-site technical support.

About Kirtas Technologies

Kirtas Technologies has pioneered and perfected the technology used today in quality, high-speed, non-destructive mass book digitization. A proven workflow ensuring superior image quality, advanced search capabilities, unique archiving technology, and extensive metadata enabling multiple output options that stand the test of time are what set us apart and keep Kirtas at the forefront of the digital revolution. Learn more at

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