Microfilm Scanning Solution, Digital ReeL, Offers CJIS-Compliant Hosted Solution for Rice County Kansas, District Court
300 microfilm rolls digitized at BMI’s California microfilm conversion facility; Document data sets included public and confidential records; Solution requires no IT support from the District Court; easy to use self-service app
BMI Imaging Systems, a leading provider of document management and microfilm scanning solutions, announced that Rice County Kansas, District Court has successfully implemented the CJIS-compliant, hosted Digital ReeL microfilm scanning solution.
Jane Hrabik, Clerk of the District Court, states, “We had a goal of digitizing and standardizing records management processes at our office. Converting a portion of our records that were still archived on physical microfilm was an important step towards achieving this initiative.”
After learning more about the application and discussing the solution with BMI customers, Hrabik and team determined it was the right solution for the District Court.
Thinking about the Future & Applying a Systematic Approach to Records Management
In the past, Rice County District Court archived old court records on paper and microfilm in an attic. Hrabik states, “We were regularly in the attic, retrieving files from an underground storage facility, or digging through physical microfilm in search of marriage licenses, probate real estate records, etc.” With a staff of three people, it consumed a lot of time.
Hrabik continues, “I am also focused on standardizing the records management process here at the court. Our team is working hard to build a system that is not reliant on unwritten knowledge that only current team members are aware of.
When our team moves on, we want a system that is modern, digital and easy to use for anyone new to it. Digital ReeL was the answer.”
Nearly 300 Microfilm Rolls Digitally Converted at BMI Scanning Facility in California
Rice County District Court records were comprised of a public-facing dataset and an internal, confidential data set. The public facing information included marriage licenses, probate, civil, criminal, domestic, traffic and mechanic liens. The confidential data set included criminal, juvenile, care/treatment, and probate/adoption records.
Hosted, Intuitive Application Makes it Easy to Search and Retrieve Digital Records
After all the records were digitally converted, BMI hosted the records and presented them back to the District Court over the Internet via Digital ReeL’s hosted application. Public access computers have replaced the physical microfilm room.
Hrabik states, “Digital ReeL is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. When we first deployed it, we had not had the chance to show anyone how it worked. Yet, researchers started coming in, opening the application on the public access computers and were able to immediately start running searches to locate needed documents.”
“Our users also are enjoying the adjustable grayscale feature”, continues Hrabik. “We are storing records that date back to the 1800s. Those records vary in quality depending upon how they were originally converted from paper to microfilm. With Digital ReeL, we can adjust the clarity of a record and fine tune the image until we can read information that in the past was illegible. It’s a real advantage for those older records.”
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About BMI Imaging
BMI Imaging Systems, Inc. has been at the forefront of the document management industry since 1958, first with microfilm and now with scanned images. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with an additional production and sales facility in Sacramento, BMI serves over 500 commercial companies and government agencies, converting an average of 3 million images per month. BMI consists of 60 production specialists and support staff, many having worked for the company for ten years or more.
BMI has developed a wealth of experience in several vertical markets (e.g. healthcare, government, education) and offers customized document management solutions in a competitive and changing marketplace. Scanning paper documents or physical microfilm is usually the most visible task in achieving a full document solution.
Identifying record types, determining indexing methods and leveraging content in existing legacy systems are all skills needed to modernize an agency’s document management systems and processes. BMI’s systems integration team has decades of experience to achieve this goal. Internally developed software tools, over 400 to date, are regularly employed to solve complex image and data challenges. Jobs that require analysis, data extraction, multiple service offerings and custom development are those that separate BMI from other providers.