As citizens, we all have the right to access information about government buildings, including zoning regulations, building permits, and safety codes. This information is crucial in understanding the structures in our communities and how they can impact our safety and quality of life. However, traditional barriers to accessing this information, such as inconvenient opening hours and physical document storage limitations, can make it challenging for the public to obtain. Thankfully, there is a solution that can eliminate these barriers and provide the public with easier access to government building information: large format scanning.
Large format scanning is the process of creating high-quality digital copies of large documents, such as engineering drawings or oversized documents, using a wide format scanner. This technology allows for the scanning of documents up to several feet wide and many feet long, creating digital copies with high resolutions and high volume. These scanned images are stored in a digital format, which makes them easily accessible and shareable.
The benefits of large format scanning in improving public access to government building information cannot be overstated. By converting physical documents into digital format, large format scanning eliminates the need for the public to physically visit government buildings to access documents. This can be especially beneficial for those who work during government office hours or live far away from government buildings. With digital copies, this information can be accessed anytime, anywhere.
In addition, large format scanning improves the quality of the information access to public by providing high-resolution and high-quality images of the scanned documents. This ensures that the text, graphics, and other important elements of the documents are clear and easy to read. These digital copies can also be easily searched and sorted, enabling the public to quickly locate the information they require.
Various cities across the country have already implemented large format scanning to enhance public access to government building information. For example, in San Francisco, the Department of Building Inspection has created a digital archive of plans and permit applications, allowing the public to search and download documents online. In New York City, the Department of Buildings has made plans and documents available online, providing a publicly-accessible database of more than 3 million documents.
Moreover, large format scanning not only improves public access to information, it also increases transparency and accountability in government building departments. With digital copies of documents, the public can hold these departments accountable by easily accessing vital information and tracking changes. It also minimizes the risk of documents being lost, damaged or altered since scanned documents are stored on secure servers and can be backed up for safekeeping.
In conclusion, large format scanning technology has revolutionized public access to government building information. It has made it easier than ever for residents to access important documents and increase transparency and accountability in government. With high-quality and high-volume digital copies of engineering drawings, high-quality maps, and other oversized documents, the public can now access vital government building information at their convenience from any location. Therefore, large format scanning is a welcome innovation in the government building sector, and its applications are vast and limitless.
