The digital revolution has entirely changed the way we live our lives. From the ability to research anything on portable, handheld computers, all the way to the way we interact with data, the world we live in today would be nearly unrecognisable to someone working and living in the 1990s.
Book scanning is yet another way that our world has changed in recent years. It’s the process of converting physical books into digital format – it can either be done using a book scanning service, or with a normal scanner. There are quite a few important benefits to book scanning, especially when it’s done well.
Space-saving
Digitising books allows you to store a large number of books in a small amount of space. You might find this especially useful if you’re involved with a specialist research library or a business that has limited storage space, but want to keep a large collection of books.
Cost-effective
Digitising books can be more cost-effective than storing physical copies. You can save money on storage costs, such as renting a storage facility or buying shelving, and you also won’t have to spend money on repairs or replacements for damaged or lost books.
Increased accessibility
Digital books can be accessed from any device with an internet connection, making them more accessible to a wider audience. This is especially useful for people with certain disabilities, who may otherwise have difficulty accessing physical books.
Improved search-ability
Digital books are instantly searchable, meaning you can easily find specific information within a book. Searchability functions are especially useful for research purposes, as you can quickly search for keywords or phrases within a large number of books – great for students, academics, and anyone with a research-intensive profession.
Preserved content
Digitising books allows you to preserve the content of a book for future generations. Digital copies are less susceptible to damage from environmental factors, and they can be easily reproduced if they are lost or damaged. For especially sensitive data, you can use multiple physical backups, and back it up on the cloud.
Enhanced collaboration
Digital books make it easy to share and collaborate on documents with others. You can easily share a digital copy of a book with a colleague or classmate, and multiple people can access and edit a book at the same time.
Increased security
Digital books can be password protected, which helps to prevent unauthorised access. This is especially useful for businesses and organisations that need to keep sensitive information secure, such as those operating in the legal or financial niches.
Overall, book scanning carries multiple benefits that can have a positive impact on a wide range of people. These benefits include space-saving, cost-effectiveness, increased accessibility, improved searchability, content preservation, enhanced collaboration, and increased security.
Obviously, you don’t need to digitise all of your books – it’s still nice to have a few classics in paper form. However, by digitising the majority of your book collection, you can take advantage of these benefits, improving the way you access and use information.
