Scanning Microfilm and Microfiche to Digital Images

In the early 1800’s, Microfilm was introduced to the world as an efficient, effective method of reducing the physical size needed to store and archive information. Now, nearly 200 years later, many Companies and Government Organizations continue to use Microfilm as an archival solution, although when compared with other modern technologies, there are some inherent limitations that point to Digital Images, such as TIF or PDF being a better solution.

While it is true that Microfilm does give you a long-term, stable archive medium, that is human readable, it is also subject to some of the following limitations:

• Limited Accessibility – Microfilm, Microfiche, and Aperture Cards may only be reviewed by one user at a time.
• Physical Space Requirements – Microfilm, while taking significantly less space than paper, still consumes physical space, and must be manually accessed for retrieval.
• Specialized Equipment needed for Reading
• Microfilm cannot be easily printed, emailed, and/or faxed without the need for manual intervention.

Converting Microfilmed documents to digital images, therefore is a bit like converting old Vinyl Albums to MP3’s. It can help unlock the content and help to make the information both portable and shareable, while allowing for easier, distributed access. The same concepts hold true for the conversion of Film to TIF or PDF.

For more information about converting Microfilm, Microfiche, and Aperture cards to Digital Images, visit Shoreline Records Management’s Website..