Scannatura

Scannatura is a term used in Italian-language discourse to denote the practice of digitizing physical objects, particularly within libraries, archives, museums, and conservation laboratories. It refers to the process of creating high-resolution digital records of manuscripts, prints, maps, artifacts, or natural history specimens through scanning, photography, or a combination of imaging techniques. The aim is to improve access, support preservation, and enable scholarly analysis while minimizing handling of delicate originals. In practice, scannatura can involve various modalities, including high-resolution flatbed or overhead scanning, multispectral imaging, photogrammetry, and 3D scanning, chosen according to the object and research goals.

Etymology and scope: The term derives from the Italian verb scannare, meaning to scan, with the noun-forming suffix -atura to indicate an action or process. It is primarily used within Italian archival, museum, and library communities and appears in Italian-language documentation of digitization projects. The concept aligns with broader practices of digitization and digital preservation but is named specifically in Italian contexts.

Usage and considerations: Scannatura encompasses both the operational workflow and the resulting digital assets, including images, metadata, and 3D models. Implementations emphasize image quality, metadata standards, long-term digital preservation, access policies, and rights management. While the term is common in Italian professional discourse, English-language sources usually employ digitization, imaging, or 3D scanning to describe similar activities.

See also: Digitization, digital imaging, archival digitization, metadata standards, 3D scanning, multispectral imaging, photogrammetry.