Helping Hand FAQ's

Answer: The files are delivered in a ZIP archive. Our standard scanning service (base package) includes the following (per book);

1. Two (2) editable Word documents (formatted, unformatted)
2. Two (2) searchable PDF files (high res for printing, reduced-size for mobile reading)
3. One (1) full color image of the front cover

Answer: We will ship your yearbook back to you free of charge once scanning is complete.

Answer: These are the differences between ordering destructive vs non-destructive:

Non-destructive: Books will be returned intact (free return shipping) Max book thickness 1.5". Min inner margin 1/2". Max page size 8.5"Wx12"H.
Destructive: Bindings will be removed. Books will not be returned. Min inner margin 1/4". Max page size 8.5"W x 14"H.

Destructive offers a little better scan quality especially if your book contains content or photos near the binding/gutter. However, most Administrators order non-destructive to preserve their original yearbook. Please note non-destructive scanning cannot guarantee perfect results on photos near the gutter/binding. However, even in this case results are usually generally acceptable.

Answer: Make sure you package your book well. Use bubble wrap/packing material around your book and enclose it in a sturdy box. Send book "Return Receipt" to ensure it goes directly to the proper hands. Damage to books sent this way is extremely rare.

Answer: Most books in circulation today should scan without a problem, with a few limitations to each (see below). If you feel your book may pose a potential scanning problem, please contact us first before ordering, so that we can review the request.

Limitations of our Destructive scanning stations:
Minimum inner margin of 1/4". Maximum page size 8.5"W x 14"H.

Limitations of our Non-Destructive scanning stations:
Minimum inner margin 1/2". Maximum page size 8.5"W x 12"H.
Maximum book thickness of 1.5".

Answer: No. In an effort to keep our prices low, our staff does not perform manual page-by-page inspection of scans. This would significantly increase per-page cost. The vast majority of time results are very good. In rare cases there can be slight page skew but even then this is usually acceptable and all content is readable. If you are also ordering Senior Photo Cropping and uploading we always straigthen any photos if necessary -- results on Senior Photos are usually very good regardless of any potential issues with the original scan.

Answer: Sometimes Administrators will want to make additional changes to the final PDF files, such as deleting certain pages, re-ordering, rotating, cropping, splitting, combining, changing the resolution, reducing the file size, etc. All this can be performed using a PDF editor such as Adobe Acrobat Pro or PDFill Tools. PDFill is a free program, and Adobe offers fully functional 30-day trial copy of Acrobat Pro.

Answer: Usually 3 to 5 weeks. Sometimes turnaround is quicker depending on how busy we are. In rare cases your order may take longer than 5 weeks but we try as hard as possible to make 5 weeks our maximum turnaround time.

Answer: If your book is like most books in circulation, then all you need to do is flip to the last page to obtain the page count, then add a few additional pages for the Table of Contents. Pages are double sided thus each physical page counts as 2 pages in your page total. We won't have issues with slight discrepancies, but please try to be as accurate as possible in your page count.

Answer: Unless you're only ordering our Senior Photo cropping and uploading service, we scan entire books. Please include all pages in your page total even if you are only planning to use a portion of the scans.

Answer: It is important that all pages are counted, including blank pages (even if one side of every page is blank). This is necessary because the time and labor involved in scanning a physical page is the same as if both sides of the page contained content.

Answer: After we upload your yearbook to your web site you will be informed by email. We will then hold the books for an additional few days (~ 4-8 business days) to give you a chance to look over the files to make sure everything is in order. If we do not hear from you we will assume there was no issues with the order and send the book back to you.

Answer: Most yearbooks printed prior to 1988 can be freely scanned without issue. In order to use our services, you must agree to our Terms and Conditions and meet at least one of the following;

• Ownership of Rights - You are the author, you own the rights to the copyrighted material, or you have received permission from the publisher to copy the material.
• Startup Company or Small Business - For internal and lawful use of business related material.
• Non-Profit Organization - You are an NPO or CSO and meet at least one of the 501c provisions (1-28).
• Research or Educational Agency - For internal and lawful use.
• Non-Profit Personal Use - You are an individual interested in our services for personal use.

Answer: Yes there is a 100 page minimum per book, or senior photo scanning. (i.e. if your book is less than 100 pages, your total scanning charge will be $75.00).