Process

Part of developing this archive included planning and testing. At some point, however, the testing becomes overwhelming for type A personalities, because it's never good enough. Consequently, I have made an "executive decision". I will begin publishing scanned material with the option of replacing it at a later date if I am able to achieve improved resolution. The deciding factor for this decision is essentially financial. In order to begin this project, I had to replace a failing hard drive. I then made the decision to purchase a larger format flatbed scanner. Those of you who have priced larger format flatbed scanners know that they are expensive. I was able to find a brand that was in the two hundred dollar range but obviously there are compromises involved in the price break. It is not the top of the line processor. At this point, the scans at full size appear to be decent. I have begun testing and will soon publish a digital version of one of the early yearbooks. Fortunately, I already owned a version of Adobe Photoshop that while dated is still a very versatile and robust software. I have also experimented with using a digital slr camera which would make the digitizing process much faster. I have yet to produce a suitable image through this method. The problems I am encountering include unwanted shadows and coloring. I have experimented with lighting and white balance settings but am not satisfied yet. A macro lens might help but that is not in the budget. My intention is not to complain, but rather to explain. With the equipment used by Google Books or other digital library consortiums, we could come much closer to perfection, but with the equipment we have, we can still meet our goals of preserving the information and providing access to the history of GCCA and GCBC.

My apologies if you find this boring. I am recording my thoughts for my own benefit and the benefit of those who might be attempting a similar project. I will be posting a bibliography of works consulted under the About tab on the web site, along with specifications, resolutions, and formats that I have chosen. I will also include URLs for websites that have been extremely helpful such as the Library of Congress and Smithsonian pages directed specifically at amateur archivists attempting similar projects.

Since a blog or weblog is a journal or diary, it seems appropriate to share my inspiration for this project.  My inspiration is the experience I was privileged to enjoy as a student at Glen Cove Christian Academy(GCCA) and later at Glen Cove Bible College (GCBC).  While the schools were forced to close, too soon from my human perspective, they live on in the hearts and minds of their respective alumni.  My intent is to help to preserve the history of the school by digitizing as many objective historical documents as possible.  This will not only preserve the documents but allow us to publish them on a website created for that purpose.  I appreciate the kindness of several alumni and former teachers who have shared publications and documents for this project.  Since this is my first post, this is probably the appropriate place to express my thanks.  I am grateful to Harold and Evelyn Duff, Dr. Arthur Fish and many others for their vision and sacrifice in providing leadership to establish the schools.  Their names and the names of many other board members, teachers, staff members, parents and students who through God's grace formed these schools will appear throughout this new archival web site.  As I have worked on this project, I have frequently wondered how different my life would have been without GCCA and GCBC.  It has served as a reminder of God's goodness to me and my fellow alumni in having provided a high quality Christian education for so many students.  Many of the subsequent entries will be devoted to the process of creating this archive, in part, for my benefit as I seek to improve the process.

wfl