ENPenn State University Libraries:
WolfVision VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizer

Exterior view of the Pattee and Paterno Libraries at Penn State University, Pennsylvania, USA.

For many institutionsof higher learning,
studying the past
goes hand-in-hand withpreserving it for future generations. These special
collections departmentsallow careful study ofcenturies-old artifacts andmanuscripts that provide
insight on the world andits peoples throughout thePenn State University:
http://www.psu.edu/ages. The Preservation,Conservation & Digitization Department of The
Pennsylvania State University strives to do justthat.
Considered one of thetop two public researchlibraries in the UnitedStates, the Penn State
University Libraries arecomprised of 13 subject

libraries, with holdings ofover 8 million volumes,covering a wide range ofdisciplines with strong
collections in Pennsylvania-related topics, suchas religion, history of the
Civil War, mining, nuclear
power, agriculture, andmany more. A very important part of these libraries
is the Eberly Family Spe-Photo: Nathaniel C. Sheetz

cial Collections Library.
The vast Special Collections are home to morethan 200,000 printed volumes, 25 million archival
records and manuscripts,
as well as over 1 million photographs, maps,prints, and audio-visualitems. With such a wealthof articles and pieces, theUniversity Libraries nee-www.wolfvision.com

ENPenn State University Libraries:
WolfVision VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizer
ded a solution that could
accurately display suchdetailed visual content,
while still being portable
for multi-room travel. The
answer to this challenge was a WolfVision C6
Ceiling Visualizer. Senior
Book Conservator William
Minter had this to say on
its implementation:“Our use of the WolfVision overhead Visualizer
began with a desire toshow and share detailed
images of book conservation treatments while thework was being done. We

learned of the WolfVision
VZ-C6 Visualizer which
is typically mounted andfixed on the ceiling of aclassroom. However, wemight show some work in
one room, while the nexttime it could be used inanother department. At
the same time, we wanted to be able to share
this camera with our Libraries’ Special Collections
department.
Therefore,
we decided to mount thecamera on a cart that
could be moved to various locations.”

A close detail on the monitor of a conservation treatment during instruction.

Penn State University:
http://www.psu.edu/

The VZ-C6 is used for instruction during a conservation
treatment by Bill Minter, Senior Book Conservator.

Photo: PSU

Photo: PSU

www.wolfvision.com

EN

Penn State University Libraries:
WolfVision VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizer
This special solution allowed library workers andcurators to transport thecart from room to room,and still show the fine details of many works. “Withthis lower mounting, theviewing area still permits
two-pages of most books
to be shown full-screen
on a monitor, and hasthe additional advantage
with the camera’s zoom
feature to obtain extraordinary close-up detailsof an area approximately
the size of a calling card,”
Minter added.
This special setup has
allowed the library and its
departments to share anddisplay a variety of new
aspects to the materials
in the collections. Minterdescribes one such instance, “During one classin Special Collections, ourfacsimile of the fabulous
BOOK OF KELLS wasbeing shown with its decorative initial letters ofinterlaced animal figures.
By enlarging these lettersto the full size of the monitor, everyone was able tosee even greater details
for enhanced enjoyment.”

Penn State University:
http://www.psu.edu/

The patented Synchronized Lightfield of the VZC6, allows yet anotheradvantage. “This featureprovides another great
benefit with books, since
we are able to use a “lightsheet”, a thin illuminatedpanel that can be inserted
between the pages of abook. This sheet allows
us to show the structureof handmade paper, especially the watermark,”
added Minter.
Faculty and student
response has been universally positive. Sandra
Stelts, Curator of RareBooks and Manuscripts,states that:“The use of the WolfVision overhead Visualizer has the potential tochange the nature of our
instructional sessions andto allow us to broaden theselection of rare materials
that we physically bring toour classroom. Furthermore, the modification of
the stationery camera toa mobile cart allows us
to turn any library room
into a classroom. The Visualizer also cuts downon the number of people

Rare Books Curator, Sandra Stelts with our facsimile of the BOOKOF KELLS and an illuminated initial letter, Spring semester 2017.

who must handle a bookor manuscript, and it permits greater efficiency andless wear and tear on ourfragile materials.
Of particular value isthe ability to zero in on thesmallest details of handwriting or visual elements
and enlarge them to a degree that can make images more legible on thePhoto: PSU

monitor than to the nakedeye. As an instructor, I lovethe spontaneous soundof “oohs” and “aahs” as
the audience delights indiscovering the beautyof a delicate, decorative border of a medieval
manuscript, or reads theminiscule marginalia in a
15th-century Bible.”
Student Intern Oli-www.wolfvision.com

ENPenn State University Libraries:
WolfVision VZ-C6 Ceiling Visualizer

The monitor is shown mounted on the cart during a class with Dr. Robin Thomas, Associate Professor of Art History.

via Kuzio is of the same
opinion: “The use of theWolfVision overhead Visualizer during lectures andtraining sessions greatly
enhances the audience‘sability to engage with thematerial being presented.

Penn State University:
http://www.psu.edu/

Since seeing it in use andusing it myself during presentations, I‘ve often wished it were being used
more frequently and in agreater variety of applications, because of theunique way in which it

enables the speaker toshare incredible details
and up-close demonstrations.” The WolfVision VZC6 Ceiling Visualizer, alongwith its mobile installation
at Penn State University
Libraries, has proven to

Photo: PSU

be a great teaching tool.
With added benefits andoptions for sharing anddisplaying such precious
items, the staff reports thatthe impact for the students
and researchers has beenthoroughly enhanced.

www.wolfvision.com