In the pre-digital age, documents were scanned and stored as reduced-size page images on film or printed on cardboard-like photographic paper. Specialized equipment is required to read, print, and save pages from these materials. The library's microforms collection has materials in all of these formats and provides the equipment and knowledgeable staff to help people use it.
A growing number of works held in the library's microforms collection are available online through open access resources and discoverable in OneSearch.
Microfilm is very small photographs of the pages of a printed document arranged sequentially on a roll of film.
Microfiche is very small photographs of the pages of a printed document arranged in a grid on a sheet of film typically measuring 4 by 6 inches.
Ultrafiche is like microfiche, only the page photographs are reduced 90 times or more.
Micro-opaque cards are like ultrafiche printed on heavy photo paper.
Microcards are index card size, about 3 by 5 inches.
Microprints are about 5 by 7 inches.
Microcards and microprints cannot be read using the same equipment as film or fiche because the cards are not transparent like film.
A ScanPro 3000 scanner is located in Room 156 for viewing and scanning microfilm, microfiche, or ultrafiche. Microforms collection and scanner access is currently available by appointment only.
You will need:
To get started:
​Microfiche collections include ERIC reports and U.S. government documents maintained in Government Information, Law and Maps.
Ultrafiche sets indexed and searchable in OneSearch include:
Microprint sets include primary sources for research in American history, literature, and drama in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Indexes to these sets are available in Microforms:
Sets indexed and searchable in OneSearch include:
Current newspapers are located on the second floor in Periodicals. Most are retained for three months.
Online newspapers and news sources are also available.
Current issues of print journals and magazines and bound volumes for earlier years are located in Periodicals on the second floor.
Journals held in print can be found in OneSearch. eJournals are also available online through OneSearch and BrowZine.
First Floor
Room 156
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