Innovative Profile: Michelle Drain

pic3_3Michelle Drain is a busy woman. Lead project manager at Innovative Document Imaging since 2008, Drain travels the world developing and managing digitization projects for some of the world’s top libraries and biggest companies. “I came to IDI with my MLS from Southern Connecticut State fresh in hand; learning how to use the scanners was a bit of a challenge,” says Drain.

And learn she did. Drain has gone on to apply her library skills to projects worldwide. She’s currently managing a 300,000-page scanning project for Gale-Cengage at the University of London that we reported on in June. In New York City, Drain is managing almost 1 million pages of scanning in 2 separate projects. Then there’s the 5 million-page scanning monster for the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, MA that Drain has been overseeing since 2008. If that isn’t enough, she also assists with pharmaceutical industry scanning in Massachusetts and the UK.

Drain’s background and training gives her a distinct advantage. “I have an appreciation for the materials that comes across to other librarians and archivists,” notes Drain. “I speak the same professional language and this puts librarians at ease. They know that their project is in capable hands.” For her part, Drain is excited by the prospect of preserving rare materials and giving them a new life outside of rare book rooms. “With digitization so many more people have access to these irreplaceable collections. It’s a librarian’s dream!”

IDI Digital Memory Media: Fall Workshops in NJ

pic4_4Digital Memory Media, IDI’s Personal Digital Imaging Service hits the road in the Garden State with dates in South Amboy, East Brunswick, Matawan and Plainfield. This program allows individuals to preserve valuable personal collections of print, photographic and a/v materials with the same professional quality imaging once exclusive to institutions.

Look for IDI Digital Memory Media on the following dates:

  • October 1, 2011: Sadie Pope Dowdell Public Library, South Amboy, NJ
  • October 15, 2011: East Brunswick Public Library, East Brunswick, NJ
  • October 22, 2011: Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library, Matawan, NJ
  • October 29, 2011: Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield, NJ

IDI Digital Memory Media credits 20% of all proceeds from the program back to sponsoring libraries. To book a Digital Memory Media on-site workshop at your library, please visit idiimage.com/digitization, or contact Marty Tannenbaum, (800) 380- 9058.

The summer sure has flown by! We’ve been busy preparing for some “heavy lifting” in the fall. Not only has IDI Digital Memory Media ramped up, but there are several newly expanded projects in our pharma division to look forward to. Thank you to the IDI team for their hard work, and a special thank you to Michelle Drain for her globetrotting these past months.

Be sure to check out the IDI website for our latest news

Thank you for your business and warmest wishes!

Sincerely,

Marty

Martin Tannenbaum

Innovative Document Imaging