Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Microforms

In order to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using microform in the library, the following articles have been presented to explore different perspectives on retaining microforms as backups, retaining the original media after it has been microformed, what type of media is best for backfiles, and, in Brown et al., the benefits, limitations, and areas of further research into microfilm’s potential in the research and information communities.

Silverman, R. (2015). Retaining hardcopy papers still important in digital age. Newspaper Research Journal, 36(3), 363-372. DOI: 10.1177/0739532915600749

Silverman makes the case for retaining hardcopy newspapers even after they been microfilmed. He discusses the U.S. Newspaper Program and its destruction of newspapers at a point where the preservation of newspapers was a viable option. Silverman argues that only original newspapers have the capacity to serve as backups for screen copies, serve as master copies for augmenting, enhancing, or correcting faulty copies, and provide authentication for original production and questions regarding provenance.

Canepi, K. (2003). Microfilm serial backfiles: Are they still cost effective? Serials Review, 29(4), 282-286.

Canepi compares the cost of bound serials, microfilm backfiles, and digital backfiles. Her study suggests that bound journals are now considered more cost effective than microfilm backfiles and stable electronic backfiles can be more cost effective than bound journals. While microfilm was once the most cost effective it no longer is.

Brown, H., et al. (2012). The role of microfilm in digital preservation. Microform & Digitization Review, 41(2), pp. 65-82. DOI: 10.1515/mir-2012-0008

Brown et al. identify microfilm’s key benefits as longevity, sustainability, and flexibility that they can also be used to great success as data integrity and digital risk management tools. Identified limitations include its physicality and therefore incapable of capturing dynamic, interactive digital materials. The writers also discuss microfilm’s ability to bridge the gap between digital and analog materials. They also identify a number of further research areas which need to be explored such as the life expectancy of color film and the need to develop standards for “digital to microfilm” conversion among others.