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- The History of Microfilm/fiche Conversion
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One of the first inventors to produce microphotographs was John Benjamin Dance back in 1839 achieving a reduction ratio of 160:1. Dancer continued to perfect what he deemed as his ‘hobby’ for a further decade but he did not document any of his procedures. At the time the 1858 Dictionary of photography shared his dismissal of such an invention calling the process ‘ Somewhat trifling and childish’.
In the 1920’s George McCarthy, a New York City Banker used microfilm in a commercial setting and was issued a patent in 1925 for a machine designed to make permanent copies of cancelled cheques called the Checkograph.
In 1935 The New York Times began filming and publishing on reels of 35mm microfilm, leading the way for newspaper preservation on film. Perhaps the most iconic use of the film reel is in the glamorous world of Hollywood and the editing suite named the ‘cutting room floor’ where no actor or actress wanted to end up as they would literally would be cut with scissors out of the reel. Now however these formats are rarely used and the preservation of their contents is the priority to conserve data and history.
There are two main formats common: microfilm (reels), and microfiche (flat sheets). These formats are extremely perishable especially under sunlight or damp conditions so companies who have relied on information and film from these formats are now digitizing them normally called microfilm conversion.
Microfilm conversion is done using an optical scanner that projects the film onto a CCD array and captures it in a raw digital format. The quality of the digital image purely depends on the quality retained by the original format, but once digitized it will remain preserved in this state forever.
To read more articles in this series please click the link below:
The History of Document Scanning
The History of Invoice Capture
The History of Document Hosting
The History of Box Storage
The History of Data Capture & Indexing
The History of Archive Scanning
- Microfilm & Microfiche Conversion - A Bluffers Guide
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Microfilm or microfiche conversion is the conversion of creating digital images from film reels. These were originally used to capture images and more recently moving images. For moving picture images each frame is captured and played back by the reel at a speed that creates the illusion of motion. Microfilm was also commonly used in cameras and can still be found in disposable cameras for which the camera would have to be taken to a photo lab for the images to be processed. In commercial terms many companies have archived records on microfilm or microfiche and due to the perishable nature of these products they need to digitise them to save the quality of the information stored on them.
Storetec are one of the foremost film or fiche conversion bureaus in the UK. Film or fiche are simply not responsive enough to be competitive in today’s business environment. The cost of having valuable data stored in old formats can be enormous. In addition to the cost of physical storage and the time taken to retrieve, there is the invisible but very real cost never being able to find that crucial document.
Every bit of information on your microfiche or other media can be made available. It can be fully and seamlessly integrated with your contemporary electronic files. You also have the option of ‘conversion on demand’ this works in exactly the same way as the box storage ‘scan on demand’ service. The client benefits from low storage costs and gains from the ability to convert the film or fiche only when required.
To read more articles in this series please click the link below:
A Bluffers Guide to Document Scanning
A Bluffers Guide to Invoice Capture
A Bluffers Guide to Box Storage
A Bluffers Guide to Document Hosting
A Bluffers Guide to Data Capture & Indexing
A Bluffers Guide to Archive Scanning
- Microfilm & Microfiche Conversion Industry Sectors
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Microfilm & Microfiche Conversion can be beneficial for a variety of companies from SME’s to blue chip organisations. Storetec supply the microfilm & microfiche conversion service to the following industries:
• Medical and Healthcare
• Public Sector, Councils and Government
• Construction and Architects
• Education
• Legal and Law Enforcement
• The Leisure Industry
• Aerospace
• Financial Services
• Charities and not for profit organisationsBelow are a few examples of specific sectors and why microfilm & microfiche conversion with Storetec is the ideal solution for their business needs.
Public Sectors
Libraries throughout the country hold local and national newspapers as images on microfilm. The public can search through these images to retrieve the newspaper and article required. Microfilm is perishable; using Storetec’s microfilm/microfiche conversion to digitise the images they are not only preserved and protected from loss or damage but the information will be retrieved more efficiently.
Aerospace:
Any company that produces large amounts of technical documents such as Aerospace companies historically would store these documents on microfilm, microfiche or aperture cards. Storetec specialises in the conversion of these documents to ensure all historic moments are digitised and preserved.
To read more articles in this series please click the link below:
Industry Sectors Document Scanning
Industry Sectors Invoice Capture
Industry Sectors Document Hosting
Industry Sectors Box Storage
Industry Sectors Data Capture & Indexing
Industry Sectors Archive Scanning
- Legislation Governing Microfilmed Documents
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Searching through Microfilm and Microfiche records can be extremely time consuming. Microfilmed images can only be viewed in the order they appear on the reel so searching with limited indexing parameters can be a daunting task.
Microfilm and Microfiche are perishable materials, which means in time the image quality will deteriorate. It is possible to slow down the rate of deterioration by storing the microfilm and microfiche in a controlled environment however, if these records are referenced on a regular basis removing them to and from this controlled environment may accelerate the deterioration.
Many companies that rely on records and images stored on Microfilm or Microfiche are choosing to convert them to digital images, thus allowing them to be indexed for quick and easy retrieval and eliminate the image quality deterioration.
When digitising Microfilm or Microfiche a process must be followed to ensure the authenticity for archival permanence or legal admissibility.
The Law Society outlines guidelines for digitising original images and destroying the original for admissibility in court as follows:
(a) Written evidence of the destruction of the original and of identification of the copy must always be preserved in case oral evidence is no longer available when needed.
(b) There should be a proper system for:
(i) identifying each file or document destroyed;
(ii) recording that the complete file or document, as the case may be, has been photographed;
(iii) recording identification by the camera operator of the negatives as copies of the documents photographed; and
(iv) preserving and indexing the negatives.
(c) If a microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data is required to be produced in evidence, a partner or senior member of staff should be able to certify that:
(i) the document has been destroyed;
(ii) the microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data is a true record of that document; and
(iii) the enlargement is an enlargement of the microfilm, electronically or photographically stored data.
(d) Microfilm copies of some documents (e.g. coloured plans) can be unsatisfactory, in which case the originals should be preserved.
Storetec provides full microfilm facilities, including record documentation up to xx size on fully indexed 16mm or 35mm roll film. All Microfilm can be scanned to TIFF, JPEG, or PDF format at up to 600dpi resolution for incorporating into most viewing software.Acknowledgments:
To read more articles in this series please click the link below:
Legislation Governing Document Scanning
Legislation Governing Invoice Capture
Legislation Governing Document Hosting
Legislation Governing Box Storage
Legislation Governing Data Capture & Indexing
Legislation Governing Archive Scanning
- Microfilm Conversion Case Study
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At Amertas Life Insurance Corporations Facility / Records Centre back in mid December 1991 a fire broke out in the food storage area of the 70 acre complex. The fire raged for five months and took three further months to cool.
The storage facility contained 19,400 rolls of microfilm – all of the companies records.
The film was used as backup for the company’s main microfilm library which included the following records:
• Records of all policy holders
• Group administration files
• Human resource files
• Credit Union Files
• AccountingThough now a day’s very few documents are committed to microfilm for backups, many companies hold historical data on microfilm/fiche – data which if lost could have serious implications on compliance and could affect the company’s credibility.
Storetec provide a microfilm/fiche conversion service to digitise these records into a more useful modern digital format that can be held securely. Once converted to images this medium is none perishable, non combustible, future proof and can be easily retrieved.
Acknowledgments: http://www.drj.com/drworld/content/w3_036.htm
To read more articles in this series please click the link below:
Document Scanning Case Study
Invoice Capture Case Study
Document Hosting Case Study
Box Storage Case Study
Data Capture & Indexing Case Study
Archive Scanning Case Study
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