A flatbed scanner is a device that resembles a small photocopier. Like a photocopier, a flatbed scanner produces an image of any "flat" object (photograph, map, drawing, etc.) placed upon its glass surface. While a photocopier simply prints a black and white photocopy of the object, a flatbed scanner produces a full-color digital image, which you can view and manipulate on the computer before printing.

In addition to the flatbed scanner at Fiske-Kimball Fine Arts Library, there are several flatbed scanners available in Campbell Hall. The Fourth Floor Imaging Center, located behind room 402, has both 8.5" x 11" and 11" x 17" scanners. The Graduate Research Lab, a restricted access lab, also has a UMAX Mirage IIse 11" x 17". Scanners are attached to both Macintosh and Windows computers, and are accessible through Adobe Photoshop.

A slide scanner is a device that creates digital images from color slides or photographic negatives.

In addition to the slide scanners at the Digital Image Center in the Fine Arts Library, there are serveral Polaroid POLASCAN 35 Ultras in Campbell Hall, at the Fourth Floor Imaging Center, located behind room 402, and in the 3rd Floor Studios. The Umax 11" x 17" flatbed scanner (in the Graduate Research Lab) will also scan entire sheets of slides and output individual color corrected and righted images for each slide.

A large format scanner is a device that is capable of scanning documents and images larger than 11" x 17".

The Architecture school has one of these devices in the Fourth Floor Imaging Center. It is a roll-type scanner, which means that although it is limited to 36" in width, the length is limited only by the memory capacity of the computer. This is an expensive and delicate device which should be used carefully. All items which have suface pigment or material which can rub or smudge should be scanned with an acetate sheet to protect the scanning element. Acetate sheets are available at both the A&A Supply shop in Campbell Hall and commercial stores such as Michael's and Studio Art.