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Space on my bookshelf is limited to books of importance to me, books that I reference often, and a few special books like first editions.  Still, I have boxes and boxes of books that could be more useful if they were on my PC or tablet.  While I would be happy to subscribe to a Netflix Instant Streaming-type service for books, I don’t think we will see a service like that in the next few years (Google books anyone?).  So in addition to donating most of my books that I will never read again, I want to fair-use digitize a few books in my book library that I will continue to use.  My approach, however, will result in destruction of the book binding.  My nicer books will be spared from this fate though freed-up shelf space.  Here’s the first approach I’m taking…

The Tools

• A box cutter or industrial stack cutter. Alternatively, print shops have hydraulic paper cutters than can make quick work of your books. Supposedly, an electric planer will work, and I will try this as well. In the US, Harbor Freight Tools sells an inexpensive planer.

 

• A sheet-fed scanner that scans 2-sides of each page.  Fujitsu makes the ScanSnap S1500 series for both Windows and Mac

 

• Post-Processing Software: There are a few options for this.  Scan Tailor is a favorite of the DIY Book Scanner crew.  Someone has been kind enough to package it for Mac OS X

 

The Process

Here are two neat videos that show how to scan books

Scanning a book – part 1: The Scan Process
 

 

Scanning a book – part 2: Processing with Acrobat Professional
 

 

Non-Destructive Book Scanners

ion book saver – a consumer, non-destructive consumer book scanning solution.

DIY Book Scanner -

 

Things to do with books you no longer will read

WhatsOnMyBookShelf

BookMooch