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Guidelines for presentation of digitised pictures
1. Overview
These guidelines exemplify the Library’s policy regarding presentation of digitised pictures on the web.
Guidelines are included for:
- framed works
- unframed works without a border
- unframed works with a border
- plastic/glass format material where images do not occupy entire surface
- digitising backs of items
- treatment of artefacts
Use these guidelines in deciding when and how to crop a digitised picture for best presentation, and when to retain borders in image presentation.
Consult team leader/collection manager for individual guidance with items not covered by these guidelines.
2. Principles for presentation of images for web delivery
- Digital versions of collection material should represent the original item as closely as possible. Images are not to be digitally manipulated or enhanced, except to compensate for defects in equipment.
- The image created for web presentation (either a master or co-master where one exists) should not falsely represent the nature, condition or extent of the item.
- The digitised image used for web presentation should show the entire extent of the artistic work (photograph or artwork), so that all documentary information remains available to the user. However wide image borders with no information are to be excluded from capture.
- Digitised images produced from negatives often require manipulation by the digitiser to represent the image as the creator intended. However if physical damage is inherent in the original negative, it should be retained in the digital version to provide truthful representation of the original item.
3. General instructions
- Where possible use a black background during image capture, to provide a suitable background for presentation of a digitised image. This shows users that the item is represented in its entirety (i.e. the edges of the item are visible), and provides a professional, consistent backdrop for image presentation in the delivery system.
- Co-masters are generally not made for cropped images.
4. Guidelines
4.1 Framed works
- De-frame and de-glaze works before digital capture.
This allows a better quality image to be created and avoids the workload of capturing the image twice, i.e. before and after de-framing.
4.2 Unframed works without a border
- Create a minimal border, between 1-2 mm, around the entire item.
Users can then see the edge of the item and be sure that none of the actual image has been cropped.
4.3 Unframed works with a border
- For items with a plain border without markings, annotations or decoration, crop the image to show only the image area. Create a minimal border, between 1-2 mm, around the image area.
Avoid inclusion of wide blank borders in web display copies as then the central image would be presented to users with less detail.
Exceptions:
a. Items with a narrow border are to be scanned in their entirety - see examples in Figures 1, 2 and 3:

Fig 1: B&W print with narrow border

Fig 2: Albumen print with narrow border
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Fig 3: B&W gelatin print with narrow border
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b. Items with signatures, studio stamps, marginal annotations, decorative lines, inscriptions etc., in the area that is imaged - to be digitised in full. See examples in Figures 4, 5, 6 & 7.

Fig 4: Albumen print with inscriptions
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Fig 5: Print with inscriptions
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Fig 6: Item with a secondary support with inscriptions included
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Fig 7: Item with inscriptions on the bottom half
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c. Glass plate negatives which have narrow borders - to be digitised in full. See example in Figure 8.

Fig 8: Glass plate negative with image to edge
4.4 Plastic/glass based items with images that do not occupy entire surface.
- Items in this category are to be cropped and made into a co-master - see Figures 9.1 and 9.2.
- Item in Figure 9.1 has been scanned and saved as a master.
The image does not cover the whole plate so a co-master has been created by cropping around the image area (see Figure 9.2). The co-master is used for web presentation.
This approach gives an acceptable image for web presentation using the co-master copy, while all original data is retained in the master copy to preserve the image authenticity

Fig 9.1: Glass plate negative scanned in its entirety – master image
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Fig 9.2: Glass plate negative cropped and made into a co-master
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4.5 35mm transparencies, with or without mounts.
- Items in this category may either be presented with or without a mount. Examples follow that show how 35mm transparencies have been scanned and cropped in each situation.
Item in figure 9.3 has been scanned and saved as the master - note that the mount has not been cropped. Figure 9.4 shows the same image saved as the co-master after cropping.
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Fig.9.3: 35mm transparency scanned with mount – master image. (NB black area is the mount & the edge of the film)
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Fig.9.4: The same item has been cropped with a 1-2mm border and saved as co-master.
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Figure 9.5 and 9.6 show a 35mm transparency without a mount, scanned as a master and then saved as a co-master after cropping.
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Fig.9.5: 35mm unmounted transparency scanned in its entirety - master image
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Fig.9.6: Same image cropped and saved as co-master with a 1-2mm border.
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4.6 Backs of items
- Generally do not digitise backs of items, unless otherwise instructed by the collection area.
This avoids the workload of capturing the item twice. Transcription information on backs of items can be conveyed in notes within the catalogue record if considered significant.
4.7 Treatment of artefacts
- Collection managers or their delegates may select some items for digital capture ‘as an artefact’, e.g. albums with significant covers, albums where the grouping of images on a page is significant, photographs with competition labels on the back.
- Such items would be accompanied by special instructions in the Digital Collection Manager (DCM) job e.g. ‘digitise to the edge’ or ‘digitise back as well as front’ or ‘digitise as an artefact’.
- For an album, the instruction ‘digitise as an artefact’ means digitise the front cover, back cover, digitise all pages that have anything on them as a whole page, as well as digitising each image on each page. Do not digitise blank pages.
- The decision to digitise as an artefact is made by the relevant collection manager. The selection of an item for an exhibition is not by itself sufficient reason for an item to be digitised as an artefact.
Revised 14 June 2007
DISCLAIMER: The National Library of Australia disclaims liability for the use of the information provided in these pages. The National Library of Australia accepts no responsibility for the loss occasioned as a direct or indirect result of the use of the information in these guidelines.
