The Bentley Historical Library considers requests for limited duplication of materials, depending on their condition.

Please be aware that our duplication service is delayed by a high volume of orders. We currently expect that even small PDF, JPG, TIFF, and paper copy orders may take at least three months to process (AV digitization may take 6-12 weeks; please see the AV section below). You are welcome to place orders now; we will resume processing new requests in the order in which they are received when we are able to do so.

How to Submit a Duplication Order Online

1.) Follow the instructions for requesting an item. 

2.) Click the “Create Duplication Request” button at bottom right of the request page, which adds the duplication form to the bottom of the page:

3.) In the Items to Duplicate box, type in any additional information about your desired material (ex. “all contents,” “first 10 pages only,” etc.). Choose your Format, Delivery Method, and Service Level from the drop-down menus and mark the check box if this material will be used in a publication.

4.) Click the Submit Request button.

5.) You will see an additional Order Status for the request:

If you’re visiting the Reading Room to choose material, we’ll provide you with an order form and paper slips to “flag” your selections in your box/item. We can then convert your original request into a duplication order, which you can track in your research account with the transaction number.

If you have any questions about duplicating materials, you can always fill out our “Ask an Archivist” research request form or email bentley.duplication@umich.edu.

Duplication Information

Standard Digital Imaging Duplication

Price

We are pleased to offer standard digital imaging services for $0.25/page. This meets most personal research and publication needs.

Internal U-M Units will be billed $12.00/hour of staff processing time. Please provide a shortcode for payment in the Special Request field of your online order.

Resolution

Most items are digitized in color at 400 PPI (pixels per inch). Items such as negatives and slides are digitized at a higher resolution.

Formats

We provide the following format options. Researchers may request one, two, or three digital formats at no additional cost. Paper copies may be charged for USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate service. When multiple digital formats are requested, researchers will receive multiple files for each page that is digitized. Due to our order volume, we are able to provide about 500 pages per fiscal year (July-June).

• • PDF files are commonly used for documents. Multiple items are combined into one “packet.”
  • TIFF files are commonly used for images in print publications. They are high quality files that are uncompressed and large in size.
  • JPEG files are commonly used for images that will go online. They are compressed files that are smaller in size and lower in quality than TIFF files.
  • Paper copies are printed in black and white from a scan of the item. Paper is available up to 11×17 inches in size. 

Oversize Imaging

Price

Oversize items, such as large maps, that must be scanned off site will be reviewed for condition before the order is approved for processing. The cost is $40/sheet plus a $5 preparation fee. 

Internal U-M Units will be billed $22.00/hour of staff processing time. Please provide a shortcode for payment in the Special Request field of your online order.

Formats

We can provide PDF, TIFF, and/or JPEG files for oversize items. Please be aware that TIFF or JPEG files may be very large and take extra time to open on your computer.

Image Bank Orders

You can see a small sample of our materials in the Bentley Image Bank.

Resolution

Items have been digitized in color at varying PPI (pixels per inch).

Formats

These images can be downloaded as JPEG files for free by using the “Download” option at the top left of the photo’s page. You can click on the “Order This” button if you need TIFF format.

Albert Kahn Architectural Drawings

Reproductions of Albert Kahn architectural drawings require permission from Albert Kahn Associates, Inc. Please contact Reference staff at bentley.ref@umich.edu for duplication permission forms and further ordering instructions.

Price

Items cost $5/sheet plus a $5 preparation fee. 

Resolution

Items are digitized at 300 PPI (pixels per inch)  in black and white.

Format

Items are only available as PDF files.

Delivery

Method

Completed orders will be made available for download from your Bentley research account or our Dropbox transfer site.

You may opt to have the files saved to a disk for an additional $5 and mailed to you via USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate service. This postage will be added to your order total.

Timeframe

Please be aware that our duplication service is delayed by a high volume of orders. We currently expect that even small orders may take at least three months to process. You are welcome to place orders now; we will resume processing new requests in the order in which they are received when we are able to do so.

We cannot guarantee that orders can be fulfilled within a certain time period. Please see below for payment and rush order information.

Audiovisual (AV) Digitization

To protect fragile analog audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes), the Bentley has a policy of converting them to digital formats whenever a researcher requests access. 

Standard

We recommend standard media files for most uses and a more efficient delivery. This meets most personal research and publication needs. 

Production 

Production quality files may require additional download time, storage and, on occasion, alternate delivery methods.

Price

Online streaming is free. There is no charge for providing a copy of an analog recording that needs to be digitized.

Personal copies of audio or video files may be available pending copyright review by Curation archivists. We charge $50 per existing file. Prices can vary for audiovisual services, so please email bentley.ref@umich.edu about your needs. 

Internal U-M Units will be billed $37.00/hour of staff processing time. Please provide a shortcode for payment in the Special Request field of your online order.

Delivery

Method

Files can be accessed on Reading Room computer workstations, the Bentley Digital Media Library, or, when possible, our file delivery platform.

Completed orders will be made available for download from your Bentley research account. If you cannot log into your account, we will email you a link to download your order from our Dropbox transfer site.

Timeframe

Normal processing time for digital imaging is 6-12 weeks depending on format/volume. Please see below for payment and rush order information.

Payment

Upon completion of duplication, an order total will be sent via email or postal service. We can accept US check/money order or credit cards for payments.

International researchers may also use an electronic bank transfer, which will add the bank’s fees to your order total. Please email Reference staff at bentley.ref@umich.edu for details.

Credit card payments are handled by the U-M Shared Services Center (SSC) Receivable Office. You will pay online through the SSC portal, which uses Authorize.net. Please visit http://myumi.ch/L4wM7 and scroll down to the “Pay Now” button. You will need to enter order information as described in the payment notification email and will be emailed a credit card receipt. Upon verification of payment at the Bentley, your order will be delivered as indicated on your order form.

If you have questions regarding your payment or any difficulty submitting payment, please contact the SSC office at 734-615-2000 or electronicpmts@umich.edu.

Rush orders are handled on a case-by-case basis. Rush prices are a 100% increase over regular prices. Please consult with a Reference Archivist.

Research to Find Images

Reference staff can provide a limited amount of time to locate specific images in our collections. Please fill out the “Ask an Archivist” online reference request form. Requests to find images will be treated as regular research requests and will be answered in the order in which they were received. If Reference staff finds any images matching the request, they can email you an overview of their findings along with the necessary instructions required to order electronic scans.

For more involved research requests, it may be possible to hire a private researcher to complete work for you. If you are interested in this option, please contact the Reference Archivists for suggestions. The current rate is $20.00-$25.00 per hour.

Copyright

The Bentley reference staff may be able to help you determine whether the university owns the copyright on materials you may be interested in reproducing or including in a public display. Please visit our Permissions Polices page for further information and citation examples:

https://bentley.umich.edu/research/permissions-policies/

Other Considerations

The library is able to assist patrons with the digitization of materials as permitted by copyright law and donor agreements. To ensure the security of our collections and provide consistent service to all researchers, the digitization or scanning of archival materials in any format will be undertaken and managed by the Bentley Historical Library in accordance with recognized best practices and professional standards.