Defining Microform, Its Basic Types, and Its Position in the Library

To begin our journey into the diverse realm of microform in library collections, we will first define microform and the types of microform commonly used.

Microphotography, also termed microform or more commonly referred to by its most common permutation microfilm, is almost as old as photography itself. The first microphotographs were produced by John Benjamin Dancer in 1839. Drawing on Daguerre and Fox Talbot’s photographic methods as well as the work of other scientists, artists, and inventors, Dancer eventually perfected the process (“Dancer, John Benjamin” 2016). However, it would not be until much later, practically the term of the century, that the process would become a staple in records and preservation communities on the global scale. A more detailed history and expose on Dancer and other individuals of significance to the development of microphotography will be discussed in the next posting "Pioneer Scientists and the Early History of Reprography."

Example of an Aperture Card from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Aperture_card.JPG/400px-Aperture_card.JPG

Photo of New York Times Index, 1874-1883 microfilm reel located in The University of Southern Mississippi Cook Library microform collection

Microform is commonly defined as the generic media on which text or images are reproduced in a drastically reduced state using microphotographic processes (“Microform” 2016). The two most commonly discussed examples of microform are microfilm and microfiche; however, other types of microform include aperture cards and microcards. Microfilm is very similar in form to 35mm camera film while microfiche resembles a small overhead projector transparency sheet. Microfilm is often cited as having low-reproduction and storage cost alongside space-saving attributes; however, it does require special readers in order to properly few the material.

Photo of School Library Journal, Sept 1978, Volume 25, Issue 1 microfiche located in The University of Southern Mississippi Cook Library microform collection

Altered Detail of Above

In the library world, around the 1930s, microform techniques became particularly important for the storage of fragile documents that would not necessarily be able to stand the test of time such as aging newspaper collections or books made with heavily acidic paper. The year 1938 saw the founding of University Microfilms, Inc., now a part of ProQuest (see history of corporation here), and  the beginnings of Harvard University Library’s Foreign Newspaper Project (Heritage Archives 2015). Looking to more contemporary examples example, The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal, and Forrest County is the primary repository for the local newspaper The Hattiesburg American. This paper continues to be microfilmed and stored at the Library to this day even though a significant portion of the paper is now available digitally through the Newspaper Archive database. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is still using microfilm for the purpose of preservation and storage, citing microfilm as a “low-cost, reliable, long-term, standardized image storage medium” (NARA 2016).

This project regarding the evolution of microforms in the library setting is continued in six other postings.

1. Pioneer Scientists and the Early History of Reprography
2. Image Creation and Duplication in Microform Processes
3. The Rise (and Decline?) of Microform Use in Libraries
4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Microform
5. Preservation Strategies and Microforming
6. Current and Potential Trends in the World of Microphotography

Bibliography

Dancer, John Benjamin. (2016). In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide online. Retrieved from http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/heliconhe/dancer_john_benjamin/0.

National Archives and Records Administration [NARA]. (2016). Microfilm. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/preservation/formats/microfilming.html.

Microform. (2016). In The Hutchinson unabridged encyclopedia with atlas and weather guide online. Retrieved from http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/heliconhe/microform/0.

Heritage Archives. (2015). Brief History of Microfilm. Retrieved from http://heritagearchives.org/history.html.