A number of initiatives are currently underway to improved color accuracy of scanned images. Best practices workflows now are guided by physical color targets so that captured image files can be evaluated against known color standards. In addition, multispectral techniques are being studied. A CIE/ISO Standards Archival Color Committee is currently investigating ways of encoding and storing color data in image archives [2]. However, to date there have been few investigations that provide measurements of colors taken directly from original objects in cultural heritage collections.

This study provides such measurements of sample colors taken directly from the surface of a wide selection of objects from the Library of Congress’ collections – maps, prints, photographs, books, rare books, sheet music, and manuscripts. The Library’s collections are so vast and complex that no attempt was made to select a statistically valid representative document set - but the selection was sufficiently large and varied to give an indication of the range of colors. Following a procedure used by Williams and Burns [3], direct spectrodensitometer measurements were made of a set of colors from each selected object. Per object these sets of colors were imported into CHROMiX ColorThink Pro software through which specific colors can be displayed in graphical form. This allowed for the comparative overlay of the color gamut for a variety of device specific color spaces – such as the sRGB gamut commonly available on computer monitors – to provide information about the ambiguities involved in capturing, storing, and rendering the color values accurately.

Colorimetric measurements are the focus – a given object’s colors were characterized using the device independent CIELAB color space. Analysis was then done to characterize the colors currently being stored in common RGB TIFF files and to provide guidelines for selecting appropriate color spaces when digitizing different kinds of objects. Comparisons of the document colors and the colors commonly used to build ICC color profiles are shown. These comparisons indicate that using a broader set of profiling colors – particularly colors similar to those in the original documents – may provide more accurate color in digital images.

Academic research libraries can employ several approaches to advance the institutional mission. First, libraries can shift from goals focused on collections and traditional library services and instead align with their campus academic plan and an emphasis on supporting the institution’s strategic initiatives. A second approach is for libraries to modify their organizational structures from being function-based on the tasks that traditional libraries performed (e.g., public services, technical services, collection development) and move instead toward organizational units that directly support their university’s missions (e.g., undergraduate education; graduate and professional education; research, scholarship, and creative activity; and public engagement). The key is to have library staff engaged in work that contributes to vital institutional outcomes such as student success and faculty research productivity. Academic research libraries should also continue to work towards an assessment program that demonstrates the value of the academic research library in providing quality services that advance the institutional mission.