R.B. Toth Associates

R.B. Toth Associates LLC is a private consulting and services firm specializing in the digitization, advanced imaging, preservation and digital curation of cultural heritage materials. Based in the Washington DC area — Wikidata records its location as Oakton, Virginia — the company works globally with libraries, museums, archives, universities and other institutions of all sizes. Its stated mission is to support the capture, study, preservation, visualization and display of artifacts in digital form for interdisciplinary research. The firm positions itself as a provider of planning, management, standardized work processes and new technologies that let institutions digitize and provide access to historic objects within any budget. Rather than selling a single product, R.B. Toth Associates organizes and manages expert teams, offering systems integration, program management, training, consulting and on-site imaging services. It helps institutions integrate advanced imaging systems — cameras, illumination, software and data preservation — into their research, archiving and curation infrastructure, and it trains staff in program and risk management techniques for using complex technologies in new environments. Its technical capabilities span a wide range of scientific imaging methods, including narrowband multispectral imaging, X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF), fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), terahertz imaging (THz), synchrotron rapid-scanning XRF (SRS-XRF), micro computed X-ray tomography (microCT) and 2.5D photogrammetry. These are applied to materials such as parchment, paper and papyrus; plaster and wood surfaces; photographs and photographic plates; newsprint; paintings; laminates; animal hides, bone and ivory; canvas and textiles; and stone and ceramics. Multispectral imaging and processing in particular allow researchers to capture what the human eye cannot see, including erasures, changes and areas of preservation concern. The company describes almost three decades of work in digitization and advanced imaging of manuscripts, books, scrolls, globes, maps, paintings and photographs, and cites 25 years of systems development and data management experience. Its president and chief technology officer, Mike B. Toth, provides systems engineering, program management, training, planning and development services for the study, preservation and display of cultural objects. The firm has documented its work in numerous media reports and academic papers, and maintains an active presence through webinars, workshops and publications. It is a small, privately held limited liability company rather than a publicly traded enterprise.

R.B. Toth Associates LLC is a privately held consulting and services firm that has built its reputation around the digitization and advanced imaging of cultural heritage materials. The company is based in the Washington DC area, with Wikidata recording its location as Oakton, Virginia, and it operates globally, working with institutions of all sizes. The firm's own account of its history emphasizes long experience rather than a single founding date. Its website states that for almost three decades its teams of expert specialists have planned, led and supported digitization and advanced imaging of manuscripts, books, scrolls, globes, maps, paintings and photographs, and it cites 25 years of systems development and data management. This places its origins in the early 1990s, when digital imaging and information management were beginning to be applied systematically to library, archival and museum collections. Over that period the company developed a service model built on organizing and managing expert teams rather than manufacturing equipment. It provides systems integration and program management for capabilities ranging from major technology programs to projects tailored to specific institutional needs. Its work covers the full lifecycle of a digitization program: planning, standardized work processes, technology selection, on-site imaging, data and metadata management, training, and support for long-term preservation and access. A central theme of the company's history is the adoption of scientific imaging techniques that go beyond ordinary photography. R.B. Toth Associates has promoted narrowband multispectral imaging and processing, which allows researchers to capture what the human eye cannot see, including erasures and changes, and to identify areas of concern for preservation. Its service list has expanded to include X-ray fluorescence imaging (XRF), fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), terahertz imaging (THz), synchrotron rapid-scanning XRF (SRS-XRF), micro computed X-ray tomography (microCT) and 2.5D photogrammetry. These methods are matched to materials such as parchment, paper and papyrus; plaster and wood surfaces; photographs and photographic plates; newsprint; paintings; laminates; animal hides, bone and ivory; canvas and textiles; and stone and ceramics. The company has also been active in education and knowledge sharing. It runs workshops and webinars — for example, a webinar on advanced imaging to support the digital humanities — and its work has been documented and discussed in numerous media reports and papers. Mike B. Toth, president and chief technology officer, provides systems engineering, program management, training, planning and development services for the study, preservation and display of cultural objects, and has appeared in connection with the firm's work at institutions such as Princeton University Library. As of the available evidence, R.B. Toth Associates remains an active, privately held limited liability company. It has not been publicly listed, and no parent company or acquisition history is documented in the sources reviewed. Its continuing focus is on helping institutions use mature imaging systems and proven work processes to digitize, study, preserve and share cultural heritage collections worldwide.

• Company describes almost three decades of digitization and advanced imaging work for cultural heritage, placing its origins in the early 1990s.

• Company cites 25 years of systems development and data management experience.

• Expansion of service capabilities to include multispectral imaging, XRF, OCT, THz, SRS-XRF, microCT and 2.5D photogrammetry.

• Webinar on advanced imaging to support the digital humanities.

• Mike Toth visits Princeton University Library, documented in a Vimeo video.

Global leader in digitization and new technologies for cultural heritage, offering consulting, training and support to integrate advanced imaging systems into digital research, archiving and curation for institutions of all sizes and budgets.

• Digitization program planning and management

  Planning, management and standardized work processes to digitize and provide access to historic objects within any budget.

• Advanced imaging services

  On-site imaging using narrowband multispectral imaging, XRF, fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy, OCT, THz, SRS-XRF, microCT and 2.5D photogrammetry.

• Systems integration and data management

  Integration of cameras, illumination, software and data preservation into institutional research, archiving and curation infrastructure.

• Training and workshops

  Training personnel in program and risk management techniques for effective use of advanced technologies and complex work processes.

• Consulting and program management

  Consulting, training and management support for projects and institutions worldwide.

1. 1R.B. Toth Associates official websiterbtoth.com
2. 2About Us - R.B. Toth Associatesrbtoth.com
3. 3Contact Us - R.B. Toth Associatesrbtoth.com
4. 4R.B. Toth Associates - Wikidatawikidata.org