Visual Image Transmission. An Examination of Electronic Delivery of Visual Images and Text from the Library to the Academic Community. Final Report.

Designed to examine the potential for delivering images stored on videodisc and other optical media from the library to the classroom, the pilot project described in this report has focused on ways to transmit still color or black and white images from the library's collection to a constituent academic unit. This report discusses analog and digital formats for electronic image storage and modes of image transmission; presents the results of work using the different configurations; and describes the design of a remote Image Delivery System that has been designed and implemented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This system contains a network of independent computer nodes which are linked by a digital fiber-optic network as well as by a cable television system. A glossary of terms, a discussion of related work, and an 11-item reference list are included. (RP)