An Epson Expression 1640XL (17.2 x 12.2”) flatbed scanner with an attached transparency unit was used to scan photographic material including prints, lantern slides, glass plate negatives, and transparencies. Master files were saved uncompressed as Tiffs and were captured, depending on color, condition, and size, at 400, 600, or 1000 ppi. Software employed in processing included Adobe Photoshop (ver. 8) and Equilibrium Debabelizer (ver.5).

All metadata were entered into Microsoft Access database tables. Descriptive metadata were cataloged according to the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative with the addition of several local elements. The controlled vocabulary of the subject headings was drawn from the online Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus, Library of Congress Name Authority File, Library of Congress Subject Headings, and United States Geographical Survey.

One DCMI Coverage.Spatial field includes University of Chicago building numbers relative to the university's Master Grid Map. For buildings and ground features that have been demolished, the Photofiles team assigned unique identifiers composed of the grid map’s designation letter, a sequence number, and an "H" to denote the features' historic status. Additional identifiers were fashioned for existing ground features that had no previous assignments.