Compact Information Storage: The Use of Microfilm and Microfiche
What's the Stories Behind Those Tiny Reels?
Microfilm isn’t just a word you come across in a sci-fi movie. This technology has a rich history that’s closely connected to the evolution of information storage and accessibility.
In essence, microfilm is a photographically reduced document, capturing multiple pages on a film reel. Microfiche, on the other hand, utilizes flat, often index card-sized sheets of film. Aperture cards, microcards, and other microform formats also existed in this era.
The popularity of microfilm peaked in the mid-20th century after a slow start. John Benjamin Dancer popped the concept in 1839 using daguerreotypes, but it took a while for people to realize the potential. The technology truly shone when carrier pigeons carried microfilmed newspaper pages to blockaded Paris during the Franco-Prussian War in the 1850s.
Big leaps came in the 1920s. The "modern" microfilm usage began with the Checkograph, a device patented by George McCarthy in 1925 (with a US Patent in 1930), which let banks store cancelled checks on film. Kodak, a trailblazer in the field, later acquired and rebranded the device as Recordak. Naturally, giant libraries joined the bandwagon, adopting microforms from the late 1920s onwards.
The military also hopped aboard during World War II, using microfilm to save space for mail. Although microfilm readers of the time were less than ideal, the idea of carrying a personal library anywhere was a glimpse into the future.
Microfilm's reign was filled with alternatives such as the Fiske-O-Scope invention by retired Navy Admiral Bradley Allen Fiske. The device, while not perfect, held the promise of a portable library that wasn't truly realized until the emergence of modern e-readers.
The rise of computers also brought about Computer Output Microfilm (COM). COM devices directly transformed data on a screen into microfilm format. Big names in the industry like IBM and Stromberg Carlson contributed to this sector, while digital storage eventually overshadowed microfilm’s dominance.
Still, numerous collections of microfilm and microfiche continue to exist for historical preservation purposes. The Internet Archive plays a crucial role in digitizing and making them accessible to the public. And just like a treasure hunt, tracking down those caches of microfiche cards can lead to some exciting revelations!
Enrichment Data:
Microfilm technology has a significant history tied to the evolution of information storage and retrieval systems [1]. Its key innovation came from Emanuel Goldberg, a Russian-Jewish engineer at Zeiss Ikon in Dresden in 1930, who developed a system that predated the more renowned “Memex” concept by Vannevar Bush by 15 years [2]. Goldberg’s system, while less recognized, was critical to the development of robust information access technologies.
Microfilm gained prominence among libraries, archives, and businesses for its compactness, durability, and cost-effectiveness [3][4]. As a result, microfiche, a related technology using flat sheets, became widely used before digital storage technologies overshadowed it. While microfilm has declined in popularity over time, microfilm and microfiche collections remain essential to historical preservation efforts [3][4].
Modern microfilm readers typically project onto the rear of a glass screen, with fancier ones capable of printing the screen content using a photocopier-like mechanism [1]. Early devices like George McCarthy’s Checkograph, patented in 1925, kick-started the era of microfilm usage [1]. Later, in the 1960s, microfiche became widely used [3]. Nowadays, the use of microfilm has significantly decreased due to the advent of digital computing and the World Wide Web [3][4].
| Era | Technology | Key Innovators/Concepts | Use Cases ||-----|------------|--------------------------|------------|| 1920s-1930s| Microfilm | George McCarthy’s Checkograph | Libraries, archives, newspapers || 1930s-1940s | Microfilm | Emanuel Goldberg | Early innovations in microfilm devices || 1940s-1950s | Memex | Vannevar Bush (concept) | Hypothetical information device || 1960s | Microfiche | Commercial development | Libraries, businesses || Late 20th c. | Digital storage | Computers and networks | Gradual replacement of microfilm |
References:[1] - Leisching, M. (2019, November 4). Microfilm. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/technology/microfilm[2] - Lickey, L. (2016, April 4). Microfilm: A Short History. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://memex.org/microfilm[3] - The Library of Congress. (2008). The History of Microfilm and Microform. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/microfilm.html[4] - Patterson, J. R. (2011). An Archival Perspective of Microfilm. Retrieved April 4, 2023, from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/!etd.send_file?accession=ohiou1331422338&disposition=inline_doc
In the realm of data-and-cloud-computing, Computer Output Microfilm (COM) emerged as a precursor to digital storage, allowing direct transformation of data on a screen into microfilm format. This technology, which saw contributions from industry giants like IBM and Stromberg Carlson, was eventually overshadowed by digital storage systems. Alternatively, hacking into the radio signals transmitting microfilm data could potentially provide a trove of information, showcasing the intersection of technology and security.
