Distributing scanner output in PDF files
One use of PDF files that is gaining popularity is to distribute scanned images of printed pages in PDF files. This is a slightly paradoxical proceeding, since you are taking a printed page, digitising it and then expecting your readers to reproduce the printed page. In some cases it might seem better just to photocopy the original, but there are often advantages to on-line distribution.
The first thing to note is that in most cases to distribute scanned images of published material without specific agreement is a breach of copyright, unless it is done by the Library under the strict conditions imposed by the Copyright Licensing Agency. The second point is that care must be taken at every stage (scanning, creating the PostScript and Distilling the PostScript to create the PDF) to prevent the PDF files becoming very large and unmanageable.
There are likely to be issues of accessibility with distribution of scanned images; conversion to machine-readable text may be required.
