{"id":3775,"date":"2022-02-24T15:40:31","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T20:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/?p=3775"},"modified":"2022-02-24T16:38:54","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T21:38:54","slug":"misha-a-pilot-project-to-image-archival-collections-on-the-cheap-with-multi-spectral-imaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/2022\/02\/misha-a-pilot-project-to-image-archival-collections-on-the-cheap-with-multi-spectral-imaging","title":{"rendered":"MISHA: A pilot project to image archival collections ‘on the cheap’ with multi-spectral imaging!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yesterday we had the pleasure of a visit from Case Western Reserve University Library staff, Andrew Mancuso, Preservation Officer, and Naomi Langer, Digitization Technician. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are currently winding up a whirl-wind month-long tour, traveling around the state to test a portable (and affordable!) multi-spectral imaging system as part of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"MISHA:
Andrew and Naomi unpack MISHA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"MISHA:
Detailed setup instructions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This unique system is called MISHA, which stands for Multi-spectral Imaging System for the Humanities and Archives. The imaging system and software can be used to recover obscured and illegible text on historical documents, such as scraped-away writing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"MISHA:
Lost manuscript writing on a CHPL Book of Hours is a good candidate for multi-spectral imaging<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about the NEH-funded project, please visit: https:\/\/www.rit.edu\/news\/rit-building-imaging-systems-help-libraries-and-museums-uncover-lost-texts<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re familiar with multi-spectral imaging systems, you might be wondering, “How much is ‘cheap’?” Roughly, the entire system cost under $5,000 to create – with the monochrome camera and light boards making up the bulk of the price tag. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"MISHA:
Monochrome camera fits in palm of hand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"MISHA:
LED light boards built by RIT Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"MISHA:
Copy stand consists of T-slot aluminum framing and black painted wood board base<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, the black Coroplast, duct tape, felt, and binder clips make up a very small portion of the budget, however, they are instrumental for using the system in a room that cannot be fully darkened.  We also observed that the lights were extremely bright, and the light shield made it easier on our eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"MISHA:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:
Felt is clipped with binder’s clips to keep out light<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To test the portable system, Ohio institutions with medieval parchment documents from Otto Ege collections were asked if their manuscript leaves could be imaged on-site with this equipment.  With the entire glamour shot studio fitting into a 40-pound rolling suitcase, Andrew and Naomi traveled to various cities from Cleveland to Cincinnati, making our photographic imaging dreams come true!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"MISHA:
This tightly fitting suitcase has packing instructions to protect all the parts.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Since the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) own multiple Ege collections<\/a> and a variety of other worthy imaging candidates, the Preservation Lab was fortunate enough to participate. \u00a0In the CHPL collection, manuscript 32<\/a> (of Fifty original leaves from medieval manuscripts, Western Europe, XII-XVI century) was thought to be the most promising to reveal hidden information. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"MISHA:
Naomi demos the imaging procedures to lab staff<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"MISHA:
Images are captured at 16 different wavelength bands ranging between 365 nm – 940 nm<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:
A white MA CLP2036 99% reflectance disk is placed in every image to aid in image processing later <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"MISHA:
CHPL music manuscript is cradled for imaging by an adaptable book conservation support (ABCS)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now that the photographic capture is complete, we\u2019re looking forward to processing the images next with the open access software<\/a> called Hoku, provided by the Rochester Cultural Heritage Imaging, Visualization, and Education (R-Chive) community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were thrilled to see how easy this equipment was to set up in person. And special thanks to Andrew who brought his handy adaptable book conservation support (ABCS)<\/a> to cradle our bound collections. Everyone should have one!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please stay tuned as we share any info revealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ashleigh Ferguson Schiezser (CHPL) – Conservator, Co-Lab Manager<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday we had the pleasure of a visit from Case Western Reserve University Library staff, Andrew Mancuso, Preservation Officer, and Naomi Langer, Digitization Technician. They are currently winding up a whirl-wind month-long tour, traveling around the state to test a portable (and affordable!) multi-spectral imaging system as part of a grant from the National Endowment […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[539,391,547,534,449,59,548,542,544,543,545,540,538,537,546,541,549,535,550,536],"class_list":["post-3775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-andrew-mancuso","tag-ashleigh-ferguson-schieszer","tag-book-of-hours","tag-case-western-reserve-university-library","tag-chpl","tag-cincinnati-and-hamilton-county-public-library","tag-lost-manuscript-writing","tag-misha","tag-multi-spectral-imaging","tag-multispectral-imaging","tag-multispectral-imaging-system-for-the-humanities-and-archives","tag-naomi-langer","tag-national-endowment-for-the-humanities","tag-neh","tag-ohio-pilot-multi-spectral-imaging-project","tag-otto-ege","tag-palimsest","tag-rit","tag-rit-chester-f-carlson-center-for-imaging-science","tag-rochester-institute-of-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3775"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3828,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3775\/revisions\/3828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/libapps.libraries.uc.edu\/thepreservationlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}