Answers to some of the more FAQ...

• How to begin...?
  
• What is the Vendor Program?
  
• What is the process?
  

• When is Digital processing the BEST option...?
• Is Electronic Delivery available ...?
  

• What advantage does Traditional Photography offer?
  
• Should I request a negative -OR- a transparency?
  
• What is PROFESSIONAL QUALITY?
  
• Will a quote include ALL possible fees?
  
• What shipping options are available?
  
• How long does the reproduction process take?
  
• How is payment handled?
  
• Is RUSH service available

Note: To assure you receive EXACTLY what you require, when you are ready to place your order, please mail, fax or e-mail whatever information you may have or as supplied to you by NARA. Even when information is supplied by mail or fax, to avoid human error, we ask that (whenever possible) the citations and their brief descriptions be transmitted via e-mail as well.

All historical items are HELD by the National Archives. Each vendor has equipment ON-SITE to allow them to do what is necessary to be able to produce reproductions from the original National Archives records. To begin the process, a customer would obtain the COMPLETE and ACCURATE CITATION for each record that is of interest. This is the phase that requires RESEARCH -- performed by the National Archive Reference Staff, an outside Professional Research Service (Do You Graphics does offer this service), or you can perform the research yourself.

The next step is to determine what TYPE OF REPRODUCTION is needed and SELECT A VENDOR that can meet your requirements. The CITATION for each record will be used by the vendor to request the specific ORIGINAL RECORDS from the National Archives holdings. The requested materials are brought to a room in the Archive building at College Park, Maryland, where each vendor maintains a reproduction work station.

The first steps toward making reproductions are performed ON-SITE at the Archive, with final processing taking place OFF-SITE at the vendor's office.

If the reproductions being ordered are going to be used in a publication, to make posters or for some other presentation/printing process, having them supplied as digital records at the resolution/MB volume of your choice will save on further scanning efforts AND at least 2-generations' degradation since the digitized records that we will send WILL BE scanned ON-SITE directly FROM THE ORIGINAL materials supplied by NARA! The final record can be recorded onto a CD-R, DVD, Portable Hard Disks & etc. which could also save on shipping costs.

Alternatively, FTP Dropbox service is available through our web site –or– the files can be uploaded to the site of your choice!

Please note that unless specifically requested, to accommodate the personal requirements of the preferred publishing process, the recorded images will be rotated, straightened, cropped, inverted and sized as required per the order request; however, NO Auto Tonal Levels or any kind of Sharpening will have been applied.

The Photographic Print is produced using traditional photographic processes while a Digital Print is produced by scanning the original record supplied to us by NARA and using the computer to send the final image to a continuous tone photographic printer; or for large format images, to a large format inkjet printer.

The Digital process is what allows us to offer Professional quality, Enhanced processing and custom options to the reproduction.

If the original record is supplied as a print, an 8x10 or a 4x5 COPY negative or transparency is possible; conversely, if the original record supplied is a negative, then (by CONTACT processing) a DUPLICATE negative or dia-positive (transparency) may be produced. These two options are offered for those who would prefer a more "hands on" approach when reproduction process requires a traditional photographic source.

A transparency is highly recommended if a service bureau is going to scan to digitize the image for output through a computer; whereas, a negative is preferable if traditional photographic processing will be used to make reproductions.

Professional Quality: Due to their age and handling, many images in the National Archives' holdings display spots and specs and have dust accumulation impacted on the original. Images may also be dark or faded having lost their tonal qualities. Our 'Enhancing' process attempts to remove these obvious signs of age. While it is not restoration (in the strictest sense of the word), this process should be viewed as a clean- up and fine tuning.

In addition, "Custom" options (special crops, image manipulations, color tints, and etc.) are available upon request.

Whenever possible, any quoted prices supplied by DYG staff members will include all fees EXCEPT shipping and optional certification or notary services.

For the Shipping & Handling fee, there is the option of supplying your own delivery service account number, so that only a flat handling fee of $5-to-$8/package would be charged.

Otherwise, for domestic orders under $150, flat items 8"x10" or smaller can be mailed 1st class, 11"x14" or smaller can be mail Priority service -OR- shipped (2nd Day, Next Day or Express) for $6.00-to-$32, depending upon dimension, weight and quantity; while tubes will be shipped at progressively higher rates as required based upon dimension, weight and quantity. Some basic domestic shipping costs appear near the bottom of page 1 of our price sheets.

For Domestic or International orders of $150 or more, please contact our office directly to discuss the details.

The reproduction phase, based upon 10 items or less AND pending the chosen method of reproduction, NORMALLY averages 2-to-5 weeks to process from the time a complete 'Order Request' is received -- all orders REQUIRE payment with request.

(For international customers, check or money order funds should be in foreign currency at the current equivalent US exchange value, since it is easier for us to convert foreign currency than it is to cash American funds drawn on a foreign bank.)

If you choose to pay with a check or money order, we can offer the "Secured FASTCheck" transaction with 'Net to Ship' terms, which means your request will require credit card information as 'security' or guarantee of payment and an invoice will be immediately transmitted so that payment may be received at our office in time for the final order to be delivered.

RUSH service may be available upon request -- the turnaround time (which begins once originals are received from NARA and does not include the shipping time) depends upon order quantity, the chosen method of reproduction AND the success and accuracy of the NARA material retrieval process; which is why ACCURATE NARA CITATIONS are so critical. This service will add 100% to the reproduction order total; however, it will not affect Handling or Shipping fees.

A 50% HURRY option may also be available and will turnaround an order (which begins once originals are received from NARA and does not include the shipping time) more quickly than Standard processing; again, pending order quantity, the chosen method of reproduction and the success and accuracy of NARA retrieval process.

Please call, fax or e-mail to discuss any details, to obtain answers to the questions that were not handled here and to let us know how you want to proceed. We look forward to your reply.