Re: Microfilm reader printer upgrade? -- Terence Rose Stephen Clark 09 Sep 2002 17:55 UTC
-------- Original Message -------- Date: Mon, 09 Sep 2002 11:54:18 -0400 From: "Terence Rose" <trose@michigan.gov> Subject: Re: Microfilm reader printer upgrade? -- Katherine Hill Hi Katherine, I would considering renting a machine. We have cancelled some microfim for titles that are available in fulltext and we cancel some due to budget reasons. However, We still have a large microflim collections because a lot of titles have not been published in full text. Also, we buy titles such as newspaper's on microflim due to the nature of our collection. EX. Genealogist use our newspaper. Also, the microfim copy contains ads and other information that the e-copy will not have. However, you need to keep in mind that a recent Supreme Court decisions, means that some titles in electroinc text may not have all the articles. This had created some implications for ILL as well. Also, preservation community skill consider microfim as the best media for preservation and usage. Even with the e-text microfliming will not be disappearing. Eventhough ,ProQuest is planning to start digtalizing certain publlications to keep the colors of the orginal they are just starting and it will be while before they gain a mass of publications. They are current doing the New York Times. So my best advice is to rent a machine, the last library where I worked did that. Also, a lot of organizations are still using microflim. You can rent the latest machine and have the rental company take care of maintance. There are some pro and cons you need to weigh. Pro rental cost per year vs purchase, maintance etc. If you have any questions, email me. Terence -------- Original Message -------- From: "Hill, Katherine" <Hillk@ecc.edu> To: <SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU> Subject: Microfilm reader printer upgrade? We are a community college library with quite a bit of our serials backfiles on microfilm. Our students are increasingly relying on full text services such as Lexis Nexis and Infotrac OneFile. The microfilm is used less and less. In the meantime we have two aging 3M film reader printers. We had intended to upgrade to a new machine, but now are having second thoughts. Has anyone cancelled all their microfilm subscriptions? Has anyone gotten rid of all their film and/or fiche? We can think of other things to buy with the money a new machine would cost. Does anyone have a crystal ball about the future of these microform collections? Katherine H. Hill Circulation/Periodicals Librarian Dry Memorial Library Erie Community College 6205 Main Street Williamsville, New York 14221 (716) 851-1278 hillk@ecc.edu