How do I digitize a scroll?

Question

21 Feb 2017

I have a eighteen inch by forty foot (18" by 40') scroll that I would like to have digitized.

I have tried local office supply stores, machine do not have enough memory to create the scan.

I have tried Universities digital document preservation lab, can't get to anyone in the departments at UCLA, and UCSD.  I can talk to students, but they are not educators.

I have tried Family Search, again, no one knows who to direct me to. I offered to travel to Salt Lake City, but no one could help me.  I was sent some general forms for donating. Clearly the person(s) did not understand what I needed done.  I understand that.

The document is fragile and over 90 years old.

I am willing to donate the information, but not the document.

I don't want to let the document out of my possession.  I am willing to travel with the document and assist in the scanning of the document.

Does anyone have any contact(s) that I can use to get this document scanned?

I live in Southern California. Something nearby would be optimal.  I am open to other locations and solutions.
 

I appreciate any assistance and, or guidance you can provide.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Geo.

Comments

Can you photograph the scroll, section by section? (For example, each photo might be show about an 18" x 12" section of the scroll.)

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Yes, I would go with photographing it. If you know someone with a very good camera and copy stand it would be the least destructive way to handle a fragile document.

Software could stitch it together if you wanted to get it printed in it's original form.

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I think you can find some good advice by googling camera for digitizing documents or somesuch.

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What a wonderful artifact!  It occurs to me that fine art print shops produce high-quality digital prints that require a lot of memory. These are the companies that print limited edition copies of paintings, for example.They are not cheap, and they might need to section the length of your scroll, but if so they'll likely have ideas on how to piece the digital files back together for a seamless look.

I searched on Google for "giclee print southern California" and found a couple of places in LA, Anaheim and Santa Ana, and one in San Diego that might be close enough. Giclee might not be the best option for you, but people who have the equipment likely have some options for you..