The Kent Island Bay Times from Chester, Maryland • Page 8

Page 8The Bay Times August 10, 2011 By JACK SHAUM Staff Writer STEVENSVILLE Give Ken Carlsen a computer and a compatible scanner and convert your paper documents into digital files that can be safely stored off-site and be available for easy access at modest cost. Carlsen is the president of Stevensville-based ShoreScan, which is in the business of handling document storage for municipalities and businesses in seven counties in Maryland and Delaware. initial goal is to establish a business presence within a 50-mile radius of Kent Carlsen explained. Since starting ShoreScan in February 2010, he is well along in meeting that goal. The company is currently handling digital document storage for Queenstown, Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County, New Carrollton in Prince County, Charlestown in Cecil County, Secretary in Dorchester County, and Lewes and Dagsboro in Delaware, as well as private businesses.

talking with other potential he said, adding that he has been mak- ing contacts through such events as the Maryland Municipal League trade show. ShoreScan essentially takes current and archival paper documents produced by towns and businesses, scans them into digital form, and stores them off-site where they can be accessed electronically without the need for workers going through file cabinets and boxes full of paper. start by scanning everything current and get a feel for the situation and then do the Carlsen said. In the case of Queenstown, which recently became a client, town staffers and volunteers have been trained in the use of the software and the scanners, and have been scanning voluminous town documents for the past several months. That way, if something happens to the paper documents that fill the storage areas of the town hall, the documents still exist in digital form somewhere else.

they realize the amount of time they spend trying to find things, find this is Carlsen said of his clients. The concept has been welcomed by the municipalities and businesses that have signed up with ShoreScan. go of paper and using technology easy; however, this is user-friendly, easy to learn, a time-saver, and said Queenstown Town Commissioner Mike Bowell. The cost to the system to clients depends on how often it is used. In the case of Queenstown, Bowell said it is to our extremely pleased so said Charlestown office manager Emily Fletcher, one of newest clients.

in for the long She said three town employees and others have been in a lot of in recent months and describe the concept as The average time for training people to use the system is two hours to six hours, Carlsen explained. He personally visits the various businesses and municipalities to set up the scanning equipment and train those who will use it. Once logged in, a person can scan about 20 pages a minute front and back, send it to a temporary file where it is given index information and then sent onto permanent digital storage at three different locations in the U.S. Carlsen said that clients can create backup files and store them in a vault or safe deposit box if they wish. The company can make equipment available for short-term rental until the client can obtain the scanner that is compatible with their office computers.

ShoreScan is linked with the digital storage company eBridge Solutions that provides it with the technology for safely storing the digital documents at low prices, Carlsen explained. He said it is the web-based document management he has ever seen. Carlsen is a former vice president of National Document Services in Baltimore and worked on document recovery there before beginning his own company. was a real eye-opener to the inefficiencies of paper handling and he said. A resident of Kent Island since 2003, is involved in community work and sports with his three sons.

question it is the wave of the said Carlsen of digital document storage and retrieval. ShoreScan is online at www.ShoreScan.com. KI firm handles digital document storage PHOTO BY JACK SHAUM Ken Carlsen, president of Stevensville-based ShoreScan, demonstrates how easy it is to convert paper documents into digital files that are stored off-site in a web-based document- management system. All he needs is a compatible computer and compatible document scanner. ShoreScan is currently handling document storage for municipalities and businesses in seven counties in Maryland and Delaware.

PHOTO BY DOUG BISHOP Sunset Striper worth $500 Todd Kerchner of Stevensville, center, was awarded $500 as the winner of the Fish on July 15. More than 800 names were submitted for the giant rockfish replica mounted on the north side of the restaurant. winning suggestion was On the left is General Manager Dwayne Adkins. Assistant Manager Tom Cross is on the right. STEVENSVILLE Two students from Stevensville and Denton are interns at the Bay Times in Stevensville this summer.

Madeleine Irene McDonough has been working on several assignments but her main project has been assisting in the updating of the County Family Resource and Community She is the daughter of Wendy and Craig McDonough and lives in Stevensville. as she is known, will be entering the ninth grade at the Matapeake Annex in Stevensville this fall. Her interests include field hockey, running, music and creative writing. She has been taking journalism courses for the past three years and says she loves writing. as an intern would be a great way to get to know the community and gain more experience as a she said.

Maddy said she hopes eventually to become a writer. Olivia Gorman of Denton also helped update the County Family Resource and Community She will be a sophomore this year at Mt. St. University in Emmitsburg. She is working on a double major in theatre fine arts and English with a minor in Japanese.

She plans to do graduate studies at film school. Olivia said she took the Bay Times internship to further her learning in how the media operates and also to further her understanding in the different styles of The daughter of William and Bridget Gorman, she also is a practitioner of Kyokushin karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at college. She also enjoys Japanese animation. Two students intern at the Bay Times OLIVIA GORMAN MADDY McDONOUGH.