HIST 301: The Historians Craft (Sheriff, Fall 2024)

NOTE: You will have access to these materials whenever the library is open. Please consult building hours on main library page.

Why do librarians, historians, and scholars generally love microfilm? And yes, we love microfilm. We have comic books about microfilm.

Put simply: microfilm changed archives, historical research, records keeping, and overall scholarship the same way the internet changed scholarship 50 years later.  

Microfilm last 500 years, is easy to store, easy to ship, and (once you're trained) easy to use. 
Microfilm allowed libraries to scan unique material and share it will millions of people, and for the first time books held only by the British Library or the Library of Congress or Oxford University could suddenly be viewed all over the world.

For historians it's especially important: Many, many local newspapers have never been digitized and only exist in physical form. Many of these paper copies have totally rotted, so they only exist in microfilm. 

Some examples of Microforms

Image from MICROFICHE, MICROFILM & APERTURE CARD SCANNING SERVICES AT OXFORD DUPLICATION CENTRE

There are 3 scanners in the main library.

Allen (main floor scanner, digital machine next to makerspace lab)

1. Turn on the computer AND the scanner (the switch is on the back of the scanning machine itself).
2. Follow log-in instructions at the desk.
   1. If the log-in doesn't work, turn off the PC and restart.  The user name should be .\swemicro  and the password is swem@micro@2012
3. Once logged in, open SL-Touch.
4. Load Microfilm into reading machine. MAKE SURE the film is going up-and-over, otherwise it will be upside down.
5. When the software opens, you may have someone else's last scan. If so, select "to SCAN mode" in the bottom menu bar.
6. Select the 35mm or 16mm roll film option (the microfilm box will tell you which format to select). Don't worry about the other options.
7. Use the "previous" and "next arrows" to move the film. Sometimes it doesn't work and you need to do it by hand.
8. Use the options on the bottom to rotate, change polarity, flip the image, etc.
   1. The "auto Focus" is very, very helpful. 
   2. To rotate 90 or 180 degrees, go to “film selection” on the bottom.
9. To Save scans: Go to "output settings" on the right. Select File. Pick a destination and file name. Hit OK. To scan a page, use "scan to file" or "Scan to USB" Every page will save as a unique PDF
10. When you are done, sign out and turn off the machines.

Bruce (Analog machine, main floor, near the Maker Space)

This is an older machine but it is great for skimming. Bruce is not digital, so it cannot save to PDF. Users can make paper copies, but the quality is not very clear.

1. Turn on the machine using the switch on the front of the view screen.
2. Pull out the tray and thread in the film. Make sure the film is up-and-over (the film hanging clockwise), or it'll be upside down.
3. After the film is mounted, pull down the grey mag-lock lever left of the film before pushing the tray back. DO NOT forget this part.
4. Once the film is slid under the glass tray, hit the small blue lever in front. It will thread the machine for you.
5. Now push the tray back.
6. Move the tray to manually center the image
7. To move through the film, use the wheel knob on the large control panel.
8. To zoom, focus, and rotate, use the side wheel labeled "control." 
   1. NOTE use the select button to choose zoom, focus, or rotate.
9. If you do want to make a copy, press the teal button.

When you're done, rewind, pull the tray out, unlock the maglock.

Charlie (Digital Machine, near microform in Read & Relax).

1. Turn on the computer AND the scanner (the switch is on the back of the scanning machine itself).
2. Follow log-in instructions at the desk.
   1. If the log-in doesn't work, turn off the PC and restart.  The user name should be .\swemicro  and the password is swem@micro@2012
3. Once logged in, open SL-Touch.
4. Load Microfilm into reading machine. MAKE SURE the film is going up-and-over, otherwise it will be upside down.
5. When the software opens, you may have someone else's last scan. If so, select "to SCAN mode" in the bottom menu bar.
6. Select the 35mm or 16mm roll film option (the microfilm box will tell you which format to select). Don't worry about the other options.
7. Use the "previous" and "next arrows" to move the film. Sometimes it doesn't work and you need to do it by hand.
8. Use the options on the bottom to rotate, change polarity, flip the image, etc.
   1. The "auto Focus" is very, very helpful. 
   2. To rotate 90 or 180 degrees, go to “film selection” on the bottom.
9. To Save scans: Go to "output settings" on the right. Select File. Pick a destination and file name. Hit OK. To scan a page, use "scan to file" or "Scan to USB" Every page will save as a unique PDF
10. When you are done, sign out and turn off the machines.