Microform

Archivists across all sectors have been using microforms since the 1920s after a New York City banker patented a device that would make permanent copies of bank records. In the mid-1930s, Eastman Kodak bought the invention for their Recordak system. After Recordak filmed and published the New York Times on microfilm using a 35mm camera, microfilm use began to increase drastically. Microforms (microfilm and microfiche) quickly gained popularity with institutions as microforms preserved their records and saved storage space. Microfilm popularity continued to grow through the 1950s and 60s as libraries allowed their patrons to view documents with specialized film readers that magnified the small images. Even today, many archival institutions continue to grow and preserve their microfilm collections. Since their patenting in the 1920s, many different types of microform storage have become standard in the archiving profession.

Microform comes in 3 distinct formats – Microfiche, Microfilm and Aperture Cards

The History

Microfiche

Microfiche is a sheet of film containing rows of images. The most common we see is roll film cut into strips and placed in a jacket or sleeve. The size and number of images per jacket vary. Additionally, the film may be positive, negative, or mixed within a jacket. All of these factors affect the cost of conversion

The two most common microfiche types are Jacket and COM fiche.

Jacket Fiche

Are made of sleeves that hold strips of microfilm that are stored in a clear Mylar jacket. There are two types of jacket fiche: 16mm and 35mm. Both types of jacket fiche are roughly 4 inches x 6 inches in size.

Roughly the size of a postcard, 16mm microfiche is often used to store A4 documents and will have around 5 or 6 rows of negative strips, each containing 60 to 70 pages when full. COM fiche

are arranged in a permanent grid pattern and are usually 105 mm x 148 mm sheets in size.

16mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket fiche are made of sleeves that hold strips of 16mm roll microfilm stored in a clear Mylar jacket. Jackets are typically 4 inches x 6 inches and can hold up to five strips of film, typically in a horizontal orientation. A title strip area across the top of the jacket will usually have the microfiche’s title and indicates its contents.

35mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

35mm Jacket fiche are made of sleeves that hold strips of 35mm roll microfilm stored in a clear Mylar jacket. 35mm jackets are typically 4 inches x 6 inches and can hold up to two strips of film, usually in a horizontal orientation. A title strip area across the top of the jacket normally has the microfiche’s title and indicates its contents. This type of Microfiche is commonly used to store newspaper archives, birth and burial registers, and large format drawings or plans up to A0 in size.

COM Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

COM Microfiche

Are computer-generated reports that are printed on film instead of paper. COM fiche are arranged in a permanent grid pattern and are usually 105 mm x 148 mm sheets in size. They tend to have high reduction rates so a single sheet of COM fiche can hold up to 300 frames. Computer output to microfiche (COM) is a fiche used to store large amounts of data or reports from mainframes or corporate systems. Com fiche typically can be measured at 90-100 sleeves per inch

Microfilm

Microfilm is a roll or spool of film with sequential frames of images. These film reels look similar to rolls of movie films. Microfilm rolls come in two standard sizes: 16mm and 35mm. The images in these rolls can be master copies, duplicates, positives, or negatives.

Proper storage of microfilms is a necessity to protect the collection. If the cellulose nitrate-based film is not stored properly, it will become flammable and pyrophoric. Additionally, improper storage of acetate film leads to quick deterioration which emits a noticeable vinegar smell

Microfilm, also known as roll film, is either in an open reel or in a cassette. Roll film may also be single stream with images side by side (simplex), or dual stream with images stacked two up on the film (duplex). Sometimes film will have rectangular marks running along the edge of the film, which is called blipped microfilm. Microfilm comes in rolls that are either 100 feet or 215 feet long. In addition to the length, the thickness of the film can vary; if you have 100 foot film, it’s normally 0.004 inches in thickness and is referred to as “thick” film. 215 foot film is normally 0.0025 inches in thickness and is commonly referred to as “thin” film, since it’s thinner than the 100 foot “thick” film.

16mm Roll Film

Is most often used for office-sized 8.5×11″ / A4 documents such as meeting minutes and building permits, or for financial records like checks. It can be found in government offices of all kinds, or in organizations such as insurance companies or credit unions. 215 foot 16mm microfilm is most frequently used for document types that would have both the front and the backside captured at the same time (e.g. checks, insurance documents, and medical forms). 16mm film is normally about 5/8″ wide.

35mm Roll Film

Is most often used for oversize documents such as deed books and newspapers.

Single-level Blips

Are normally used when a microfilm index or legend refers to content on the film by the frame number. A user could look up the index and find that the data they want is on Roll 12 / Frame 379, then put that roll of film on a blip reader and enter Frame 379.

Double-level Blips

Microfilm has two levels of blips; a smaller single blip for standard frames, and a larger, double-size blip to indicate the start of a document

Microfilm can be either positive or negative.

· Positive microfilm shows black images or figures on a transparent or white background.

· Negative microfilm shows white or transparent images on a black background.

Microform

Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

35mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

COM Microfiche

16mm Jacket Microfiche

COM Microfiche

Microfilm

16mm Roll Film

35mm Roll Film

Single-level Blips

Double-level Blips

Aperture Card

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