Search

The document is an index to the Career Information Service (CIS), a cooperative program between the Greater Lowell Regional School District and the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Education. The program utilizes the microfilm aperture card technology for disseminating occupational information in a school setting; its objectives are to provide localized, up-to-date occupational information for secondary students across an entire State, to provide school counselors with current occupational information with which to work, and to provide educators with a teaching aid that will assist them in relating school programs and subject matter content to the world of work. The system consists of a set of 644 microfilm aperture cards which carry occupational briefs; one four-page brief is contained on each card. A microfilm reader is located in each participating school for users of the system. The index lists and describes, in one or two sentences written at a sixth-grade reading level, the 644 careers whose briefs are available in the system. The index is preceded by a listing of the CIS career titles without annotation. Both lists give Dictionary of Occupational Titles (D.O.T.) numbers and Office of Education (O.E.) numbers. (Author/AJ)

Libraries in the United States have generally been successful in collecting the major metropolitan newspapers from Southeast Asia. They have been less than successful in collecting regional and specialty newspapers. Issues surrounding newspaper collecting include: identification; acquisition; processing, shelving, and storage; and preservation, including availability of microfiche. The economics of newspaper collecting place severe limitations on the ability of libraries to collect; however, cooperative projects among institutions and new national and international initiatives may alleviate the problem. (Author/MES)

The German Research Association (DFG) is actively involved in preservation of research materials; it takes the view that in preservation, the enormous potential of digitization for access should be combined with the stability of microfilm for long-term storage. A working group was convened to investigate the technical state of digitization of microfilm and the changing compatibilities of microforms and digital conversion forms. This report documents the state of development and offers recommendations to serve as technical and organizational guidelines for filming and conversion projects (particularly those in the public domain). Chapters in this report are: (1) Should Endangered Books and Archives Be Filmed or Digitized?; (2) Requirements for Film Quality and Film Organization with Reference to the Option of Film Digitization; (3) Recommendations for the Digitization of Microfilm; (4) Microfilm and Digital Storage Formats as Compatible Media; (5) Digitizing from the Original; and (6) Cooperation and Exchange of Information; and (7) Suggestions for Further Reading. (AEF)

In Russia today, substantial political, economic, and social changes directly affect the preservation efforts of libraries and archives. Prepared by the Deputy Director General of the M. I. Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow, this report presents a distinctly Russian perspective on the ways in which libraries and archives are attempting to adapt to widespread changes while seeking to maintain their services and introduce new technologies, all with decreasing financial resources. Russian libraries require financial support in addition to verbal support in order to put into action the plans that already exist for preserving Russia's national heritage. This report provides an insider's viewpoint of where preservation efforts stand in Russia. The report covers the following topics: (1) Background--Libraries Under the Soviet Regime, and Preservation Problems; (2) A New Political Environment and its Impact on Preservation--Library Laws for Critical Needs, and Coordinating Functions; (3) The National Preservation Program: Myth or Reality?; (4) Cooperation: National and International Aspects--First Efforts, Other Microfilm Projects, and Microfilm Storage Facilities; (5) Preservation Challenges--Raising Awareness, Management, Preservation Centers, Limitations of Digital Technology, Permanent Paper, and Training; and (6) Closing Remarks. (Author/SWC)

In cooperation with the Commission on Preservation and Access, Xerox Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Inc., and the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials, Cornell University (New York) studied and established the effectiveness of digital technology to preserve and make available research library materials, evaluated image capture quality in binary scanning, digital computer output microfilm, and extended network access to the Digital Library through a client/server architecture. The main conclusions of the project are: (1) effective access over the Internet to an image-based digital library can be achieved from a variety of workstations; (2) Cornell has defined and will implement a digital document control structure that incorporates the best features of various Xerox prototype systems; (3) digital computer output microfilm that meets national standards for quality can be produced from 600 dpi (dots per inch) binary scanning; (4) binary scanning can reproduce many categories of printed illustrations and archival material in a manner superior or comparable to the quality obtained with standard light lens photocopy and microfilm processes; and (5) the infrastructure developed for library preservation and access activities supports other applications in the electronic dissemination of information. Five appendices cover: the CLASS scanning system; document architecture description; testbed description; "DocuTech-printed" examples; and screen descriptions from digital library UNIX client. (SWC)

Preservation efforts for an increasingly digitally oriented future have turned to advanced and improved methods of preservation on microfilm, which has a life expectancy of more than 500 years when properly prepared, stored, and managed, and can support a wide range of digital access systems. Computer controlled cameras can provide significantly higher resolution than cameras previously used for microfilming materials. High resolution microfilm can be easily scanned into digital formats, retains more resolution than current scanning technology can capture, and precludes a dependence upon a fast changing digital environment. Another critical factor for easier and higher quality scanning is narrow film density range. In addition, continuous tone filming (CTF) process successfully captures continuous tone images of photographs, negatives, prints, and heavily illustrated materials and adheres to preservation standards. Vendors of preservation filming services have focused recent service enhancements on reducing the cost of putting material on film. However, the preservation reformatting goal of every library, archive, museum and historical society needs to be to prepare preservation microfilm for the digital present and future. To simply reformat endangered materials into a form resistant to scanning or one that complicates scanning is a serious disservice to scholars and researchers of the future. (Author/SWC)

Based on a survey previously developed and pretested by the American Association of Law Libraries to gather information about the practices and use of standards by the producers of first generation microfilm, this survey was implemented by the Research Libraries Group, Inc., under contract to the Commission on Preservation and Access. The intent of the survey is to describe the state of preservation microfilming in English-speaking countries, primarily North America and the United Kingdom, by quantifying the methods of production, storage, and availability of microforms. Four types of microfilm producers were targeted: learned societies and professional associations, commercial micropublishers, educational institutions, and government agencies. The survey questions were organized into six categories: (1) general information; (2) microform production and quality control; (3) storage of camera masters; (4) storage containers and enclosures; (5) inspection of stored film; and (6) micropublishing history (e.g., business acquisitions, mergers). Results in each category are described in detail, and conclusions and recommendations based on the these findings are summarized. The latter are concerned with standards of production; the practice of acquiring microform "masters"; inspection programs for stored microfilm; training of staff; and quality assurance programs. It is noted that a copy of the full report of the survey, which includes a directory of micropublishers, is available for sale from the Commission. (ALF)

The Yale University Library is now organized to move ahead with Project Open Book, the conversion of 10,000 books from microfilm to digital imagery. In the first phase of the Project--the organizational phase--a Steering Committee was established that included several faculty members, and a project team was created. In addition, Yale conducted a formal bid process and selected the Xerox Corporation to serve as its principal partner in the project. Xerox has identified for Yale the required equipment, software, and services to complete the project, as well as their costs, and has proposed a three-phase implementation plan. The implementation will ultimately result in a conversion subsystem, browsing stations distributed on the campus network within the Yale Library, a subsystem for storing 10,000 books in digital form, and network access to high-quality image printers. The process leading to the selection of the vendor helped isolate areas of risk and uncertainty as well as key issues to be addressed during the life of the project. The Yale Library is now prepared to select the material for conversion to digital image form and to seek funding, initially for the first phase, and then for the entire project. This report reviews the purpose and scope of the project, outlines the steps taken in the first (organization) phase, and presents a summary of the results to date. (Author/KRN)

This report examines regional and/or state cooperative preservation programs and related activities. The major part of the report is given over to case studies that present a synopsis of the key structural and program elements of cooperative preservation initiatives. These case studies include the: Office of Library and Archival Materials Preservation (Connecticut); Los Angeles Preservation Network (LAPNET); Nebraska Documents Preservation Advisory Council (NDPAC); Preservation of Acetate-Based Audio Visual Materials (New York); Oklahoma Preservation Initiative; and Pittsburgh Regional Library Center (PRLC) Preservation Service. Information is also presented about three newly organized cooperative programs: (1) North Carolina Preservation Consortium (NCPC); (2) Associated Library Emergency Response Team (ALERT); and (3) AMIGOS Preservation Service. Additional information provided includes a description of the National Conference on the Development of Statewide Preservation Programs, the names and addresses of cooperative preservation service providers, examples of models of cooperation, and a list of states involved in preservation activity. Concluding the report is a selective bibliography on cooperative preservation and a series of preservation-related quotations. (MAB)

From the earliest discussions of the nationwide preservation challenge, it has been clear that neither time nor financial resources would permit the salvaging of all the books at risk. As a consequence, selection strategies are of paramount concern. To provide the scholarly perspective for these essential deliberations, the Commission on Preservation and Access has charged the Committee on Modern Language and Literature with the task of determining how scholars in this particular field use library materials in study and research, the types or genres of books and journals that are likely to remain of greatest importance and of least importance, and which strategies might make the selection-for-preservation process more effective for the needs of future scholars. This report, which marks the culmination of 18 months of such study by the committee, presents summaries of the types of preservation issues that were faced and the basic principles, recommendations, and actions which emerged from the committee's discussions. (MAB)

Presents multicultural materials that are useful for elementary, secondary, and college audiences. The selections represent quality electronic and microfilm products that can help educators, librarians, and researchers better understand ethnic and racial diversity nationally and internationally. Includes CD-ROM, CD/Web-based, Web-based, and microfilm products. (SM)

This document is intended as a guide for librarians and should be amended, altered, or otherwise scaled to meet the particular needs of a library. Two separate sets of specifications are included: one for preparing film on a planetary type camera and the other for a rotary type camera. (Author)

The South Carolina Annual Program, Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA), 1972-73, was originally developed on the basis of the funding level approved by the administration for 1973-74. Following court decisions on suits challenging impoundment of LSCA funds, additional monies became available under the act. This Supplement to the Annual Program, 1972-73, reflects the increased funding level between the administration budget and the Appropriation Act. Covered by the project are: general administration, technical services, audiovisual materials for the disadvantaged, library program development, large print books, communication network, area reference centers, microfilm catalog and shelf list, interlibrary loan network, and library awareness. (Author/LS)

The elementary INFOE (Information Needed For Occupational Exploration) study for grades 4-6 was conducted to assess the feasibility of establishing an articulated program of career information for students at the elementary school level. Background for the study and the development of the materials is discussed. The major guideline for the INFOE materials was to provide students at the elementary level with basic information on career clusters and general information on specific job titles through a service that reproduced career briefs on microfilm aperture cards introducing a cluster and describing specific job titles. The design and conduct of the study is reviewed. The entire package of 15 INFOE clusters was given to students at each grade level for a given period of time. Teachers completed a 10-item questionnaire, and students were pretested and posttested with a career awareness test. The data and the overall favorable responses for each grade level are presented in tabular form. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations suggest revision on the fourth grade level, division of clusters for each grade level, and additional research regarding alternative materials. A list of schools involved in the study and the career awareness instrument are appended. (JB)

Northland Pioneer College (NPC) consists of five mini-centers located throughout Navajo County (Arizona), and extension classes offered in areas where no centers have been established. Because it was financially impossible to create separate libraries to service all these areas, a decentralized library system was needed. The Holbrook Center, which houses the administrative offices, will house the main reference collection. Basic reference collections will also be set up at each center and in the mobile learning resources unit, which will travel to the extension classes and mini-centers. A conventional card catalog will be maintained in the Holbrook Center. In other centers, and in the mobile unit, ROM II microfilm card catalogs will be installed. The ROM II catalogs will reflect the holdings of Yavapai College, Mohave Community College, and NPC. The three colleges involved in the ROM II project will cooperate in buying and borrowing library materials. In addition to a complete description of the proposed library system, this report contains a bibliography of materials pertinent to decentralized education. The proposal for federal assistance for the creation of ROM II card catalogs at branch campuses of the three colleges, and for the installation of teletype terminals at each main college library, is appended. (DC)

Presented is an analysis of what has been done regarding the preservation of alternative publications in microfilm. The alternative press was defined, for the purposes of this study, as "nonstandard, nonestablishment publications." Two projects undertaken to microfilm such publications, one by the Microphoto Division of Bell and Howell and the other by Harvester Press, were contrasted with respect to completeness, quality of microfilm, and ease of access. The Harvester collection, which focuses on British publications, is seen to be the more nearly complete of the two, and it provides more satisfactory external finding aids. However, a subject index to the contents of the publications is not available for either collection, and neither offers individual titles for purchase. A related study found that only 44% of the publications indexed by Alternative Press Centre were microfilmed leading to the conclusion that libraries may be doing their patrons a disservice if they do not subscribe to all the publications available. Their value for historical research; risk of loss through fire, theft, or deterioration; and the limited number of libraries maintaining such collections are the major reasons cited for the publications to be reproduced and preserved on film. A brief commentary on other micropublishers engaged in filming radical publications and recommendations for future action are included. A bibliography and titles available from Bell and Howell and Alternative Press Centre in microfilm are appended. (Author/JPF)

This document comprises three progress reports for a 5-year environmental aging study aimed at establishing the lifetimes of magnetic tapes and the poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) base of photographic and electronic film under archival storage conditions. The first annual report (1982) introduces the rationale for the project, provides background information on PET and a review of selected aging studies involving PET, and describes the scope of the current project. The second annual report (1983) provides the results with PET in the first year as well as descriptions of the second year experiments and their subsequent findings. The progress report (1984) summarizes the two annual reports, discusses their findings, proposes further research, and states conclusions for PET films. Each section of the document contains its own set of references, as well as data tables and graphs which support the study's findings. (JB)

The purpose of this study was to identify the central values and the range of variability for costs associated with selecting and preparing books for microfilm preservation, filming, and maintaining quality control and adequate records. The study was based on data supplied by the libraries at the University of Chicago and Columbia University, the New York Public Library Research Libraries, and the Library of Congress, as well as site visits to each library, interviews with key personnel, detailed work logs kept during the first six months of 1986, and work sampling data collected during the same period. Considerable variation was found in the unit costs of the library-specific processes of decision making and preparation and review, with smaller variations in the costs of the film work itself. The data suggest that the path to greater efficiency is in the development of large processing centers, with careful attention to the problems of record management and administration. (CGD)