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Digitisation and copying

Digitisation and copying services

We can provide copies of most material to suit your research, study or reuse needs. We are currently unable to make copies of video cassettes or reel-to-reel audio tapes, but we can contact specialists with regard to specific enquiries. This is subject to different charges to those outlined below.

Digitisation and photography is possible as long as it:

  • does not harm the item
  • does not break copyright law
  • complies with relevant legislation, such as data protection.

Find out what to do if you want to publish or reuse material from Special Collections.

Request copying services

To place an order, please do the following:

  1. Search the Special Collections catalogue to find the item(s) you would like to us to copy and click MORE DETAILS
  2. Scroll down and click on ORDER A COPY
  3. Fill out the online form and specify your preferred option. If you have any specific requests, add these to the form.
  4. If the material is protected you will be prompted to fill out the appropriate form
  5. Read and accept the terms and conditions and submit your form.

We will email you a confirmation and reference number. We will then retrieve the material, assess its suitability for reproduction and, subject to checks, forward you an invoice.

We will process your request when we receive payment. We accept payment via bank transfer or by card over the phone.

We aim to complete orders within ten working days of receiving payment. Express orders can be processed in three working days (as long as material is in good condition and staff are available).

Your order will be emailed to you.

How much does it cost?

There is a £5 minimum charge for all invoiced orders.

Express orders are double the listed price.

Image files are supplied as TIFF at 300 dpi, apart from web images, which are JPEG at 72 dpi. Audio files are supplied as .WAV

Charges for copying Special Collections materials

Copy suitable for Charge per image Description File size
Using on the web. Basic on screen viewing £3 per page/image A 72 dpi JPEG image.  
Printing up to A6 10.5 cm x 14.8cm. Standard screen viewing £14 per page/image Smallest image 6–12 MB
Printing up to A5 14.8cm x 21cm. Good screen viewing £15 per page/image Small image 6–12 MB
Printing up to A4 21cm x 29cm. Very detailed screen viewing £20 per page/image Medium image 25 MB
Printing up to A3 29.7cm x 42cm. Extremely detailed screen viewing £30 per page/image Large image 50–100 MB
High quality printing up to A2 42cm x 59cm. Highest quality screen viewing £40 per page/image Largest image 50–100 MB
Listening to: audio file or CD £24 per page/image Audio digitisation variable
Print copy of microfilm 50p per page/image Central Records Office microfilm