Dear Colleagues,
The answer to the query is NO! And at the same time maybe YES! But is
Microfilm Technology and its application changing and the answer is a big
YES!
On the NO side microfilm is not going away and one only needs to be aware of
the amount of data that is being archived to microfilm with the very
successful product from Kodak - the Archive Writer with the latest and
greatest model the i9600. Fuji of Japan exhibited their 16 mm digital to
analogue Archive Writer unit which will compete with the Kodak i9600 unit in
the USA at the Chicago ARMA Conference in 2005.
There are a number of European manufactures of 16, 35 and 105 mm digital to
analogue archive writers manufactured by Zeutschel, Microbox and SMA are
available with a number of units installed in the USA.
On the YES side, microfilm with specialised applications and also wide
circulation requirements is being converted to a digital format in
increasing quantities. On a local basis our newspaper the West Australian
has been available online since 1996. This access is not via a library on a
free for use basis but as a revenue earner for the newspaper at their
website.
The same newspaper is still currently being microfilmed from the hard copy
paper edition onto 35 mm roll microfilm by the State Library of Western
Australia.
In other parts of Australia newspaper organisations are investigating the
process of taking the digital data from the BORN DIGITAL edition of the
newspaper and dumping it onto 35 mm microfilm. So microfilm is still a
viable media for archiving requirements while online digital access is
becoming more widespread for instant access which is something microfilm is
not good at as a media.
Regarding microfilm equipment:
Yes the big boys in the USA - 3M and Kodak jumped out of manufacturing
microfilm reader printers as far back as 1985 as they saw no future in the
technology. At the same time the big boys in Japan, Canon, Minolta & to a
lesser extent Fuji were in the process of releasing dry paper photocopiers
which they proceeded to incorporate into their microfilm product offerings
and with great success. Canon was [at least in Australia] the most
successful with their PC70 fiche reader printer followed by Minolta and with
only a dry pressure fuse paper offering Fuji did very well in the Library
market with their bi-modal offerings.
When it became obvious to both 3M and Kodak that the reader printer was
still viable they to re-entered with their own offering with varying degrees
of success. Kodak today rebadge the Minolta range of scanner printers and
over the years they also rebadged the Canon range of products and 3M
rebadged the Minolta range of reader printers and 16 mm planetary cameras.
As a person involved in the promotion of micrographic equipment in this
declining market for micrographic products their is no microfilm product
with the exception of the 1960's type Computer Output Microfilm product ion
units that I cannot source supply and maintain with comfort. In the majority
of situations I will not be purchasing that product form a USA manufacturer
as in most instances there are none or if they do exist they rebadge
products produced elsewhere. If I do have a microfiche production COM
requirement there is product available in 105 mm format from SMA and others
to carry out that task.
Will MICROFILM application last forever? I doubt it, but I believe that the
next 15-20 years will still see me sourcing, supplying, installing and
maintaining micrographic equipment in my market area.
If you are tossing up wether to stay with microfilm or go digital with any
particular application, PLEASE do not be put off by the concept of selecting
microfilm as your preferred media for the task due to the lack of available
equipment or parts or service as almost anything and everything is available
if you only do the research. It may not be Kodak or 3M or the big end of
town you purchase the items from but the product will be excellent for the
task at hand with support available at a local level.
My 2 cent worth!
Happy microfilming, Laurie
Mr Daniel Lawrance [Laurie] Varendorff, ARMA
Member of the Western Australian Governments - Digital Records Working Group
(DRWG).
Specialist Technical Writer on Records and Information Management (RIM) and
related subjects, available for hire.
Published Articles available @
<http://www.records-management.com.au/publications.shtml?laurie->
http://www.records-management.com.au/publications.shtml?laurie- and
<http://www.microfilm.net.au/articles.shtml>
http://www.microfilm.net.au/articles.shtml
A Records Management Professional, and proud of the fact!
Consultant/Trainer/Tutor/Presenter: Records and Information Management
Distribtor of the Firelock Fireproof Vaults for Viatal Records, Electronic
Media and IT Server Farms
Western Australian distributor for the world famous a.k.a. Business
Classification plus R&D Software
Imaging and Micrographic Specialist: 32 years experience
You may care to visit our web site @
<http://www.records-management.com.au/> www.records-management.com.au
You may care to visit our web site @ <http://www.microfilm.net.au/>
Digital Microfilm Equipment - DME - For all things Micrographic
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