Transcription Services

Preservation of the Past: Historical Documents

Letters, diaries, memoirs, Bible records, deeds, licences, even Grandma's recipe book -- all contain a wealth of information, but if the document can't be read, then the wonders remain hidden. Besides legibility, there are other vital considerations in deciding to have treasured documents transcribed by a professional.

Problems with Paper
Tragically, the paper of the 19th and 20th centuries is literally crumbling into dust. With the rise of newspapers and an increase in literacy, the need for paper rose dramatically. Linen rags were no longer sufficient to meet demand and paper mills turned to using wood pulp. Trees were plentiful and cheap, but in recent years we have learned the process carried a hidden cost. As years passed, the paper yellowed and became brittle. The acidic nature of the wood pulp process was disintegrating the paper. Imagine an entire library of books crumbling to dust.

Problems with Ink
Even if the paper is sound, often the ink was a home-made concoction of iron gall -- very common in the 18th and early 19th centuries and also, highly acidic.

This is the reverse side of an 18th century document. The ink is not only visible on the back of the page, there are holes in the letters where the ink has burned through.

Problems with Light

A deed on sturdy vellum, but after decades opposite a sunny window it takes some high-tech wizardry to make transcription possible.

Sharing

The original can only be in one place, be it an archive or your grandmother's attic. If there is only the one, then its contents are denied to all those others who might benefit from it. By investing in a well-crafted transcript, the document can be shared.

Time Is Not On Your Side

There will come a time when those precious family documents are too fragile to be handled. Letters left tucked in their envelopes will split along the folds. Eventually parts of the letter will be lost. The pages of an old diary may darken enough to hide the writing or ink may fade.

Far too many people say, "well, of course, I'll scan it and type it up. Just as soon as I get 'round to it." If you are waiting on an elderly cousin to do the work, accept the fact that "getting 'round to it" just doesn't happen all that often.

Having a typed transcript, as well as an electronic copy, will not save the original, but the information will be legible, reproducible, and permanent.

For the Non-Typist

Not all transcription projects involve antique documents. There are many people who prefer to hand-write their manuscripts and need someone to type their work into the computer. This can be a crucial step in getting the work edited. If you are interested in having QH edit your manuscript after it has been transcribed, please see our editorial service.

QH Transcription

Our transcriptionist has shared some examples of projects she has tackled in the past. She can work from an original, a scan or digital photograph, or a photocopy, depending on the condition of the original. To know which method is best, you need to contact her for an estimate.

QH offers several levels of transcription, from basic text to html coding for internet publication. See the questionnaire for details.

The estimate fee is $25, covering an evaluation of sample (up to 10 pages) which should include both the most and least legible portions of the work being considered, the completed questionnaire describing the document and what services you require, and your payment by personal check or money order (made payable to Ellen Wilds) If you prefer to pay with a credit card, please use PayPal (account: webmouse @ erols.com). Please take care of your document when making the sample pages. If the original is fragile, we ask that you be extremely carefull in scanning or photocopying the pages you want evaluated.

Send the sample pages, payment, and completed questionnaire with a self-addressed postage-paid envelope to:

Ellen Wilds
Question History, LLC
8117 Hartford Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Allow up to 4 weeks for our response. We look forward to hearing from you.