As required in FADGI 2023, the walls of our imaging facility are painted neutral matte gray with less than 60% reflectance to minimize flare and perceptual bias. Floor is gray. Any reflective surfaces on the camera or rig that can be covered are covered with either black velvet or black Velcro to minimize reflections. Monitors are positioned away from capture stations to avoid reflections and direct illumination of items by light from the screen onto the items being photographed. Lighting is positioned to avoid shadows.
The rooms for digitization and storage are climate controlled to avoid environmental damage to originals. The HVAC system includes a HEPA filter to minimize the presence of dust in the facility. The rooms are cleaned on a regular basis to remove dust and dirt brought in from the outside. USC Libraries personnel use compressed air to remove dust from transparent materials in good condition and lint-free cloths on reflective materials in good condition. The storage area is housed in a highly-ventilated and humidity-controlled data room and is maintained in accordance with best practices as identified by USC’s Information Technology Services.