/ Case Studies Heritage Digitisation
ProQuest (Clarivate) - University of Lancaster Theses Digitisation
High-volume digitisation of bound academic research material for digital access and preservation
Microform was engaged by ProQuest (Clarivate) to support the large-scale digitisation of theses held by the University of Lancaster.
The project comprised the capture of 1,445,766 images across a substantial academic collection, forming part of a wider programme to preserve and make research outputs accessible online.
The material consisted of bound thesis volumes representing a broad range of academic disciplines and research outputs.
/ The Challenge
How do you deliver a high-volume digitisation programme over an extended timeframe while maintaining consistent quality, careful handling, and structured outputs across more than 1.4 million images of bound academic material?
Project scale and consistency
The project required the digitisation of a very large body of bound academic material, with consistent quality and structured delivery maintained throughout a long-running programme.
- High-volume digitisation of bound thesis material
- Consistent image quality maintained across 1.4 million+ images
- Careful handling of bound volumes throughout the process
- Structured workflows and file naming conventions maintained at scale
Controlled digitisation workflow
Microform implemented a high-throughput capture workflow tailored to bound academic research material, balancing efficiency with the physical protection of thesis volumes.
- V-cradle capture systems used to support bound volumes and protect bindings
- High-resolution image capture aligned to academic and preservation standards
- Structured workflows supporting consistency across the entire collection
- Alignment with required file naming conventions and delivery specifications
Delivery for digital access
The workflow ensured that large volumes of material could be processed efficiently while remaining suitable for integration into a major academic discovery platform.
- Outputs prepared for integration into the ProQuest platform
- Consistent datasets created for long-term preservation and access
- Academic research material made more discoverable and usable
- Reliable delivery maintained throughout an extended programme
/ Long-term benefits
High-volume capability
Microform delivered a large-scale programme while maintaining quality and consistency.
Bound volume protection
V-cradle systems supported careful handling of academic thesis volumes.
Structured outputs
Files were delivered in line with ProQuest's platform and naming requirements.
Long-term access
The digitised theses now support research, discovery, and preservation.
/ Outcome
The project was successfully delivered within the required timeframe, producing a high-quality digital archive of academic theses. The collection is now accessible via the ProQuest platform, supporting research, discovery, and long-term preservation of academic work.