In the world of newspaper preservation formats, microfilm is still preferred. Digital formats have shown themselves to be highly versatile for the researcher, making microfilm seem out-of-date and ineffective by comparison. The lifespan of digital formats such as TIFFs and PDFs is unknown because these objects are linked to a quickly changing market that renders older versions obsolete. Film preservation, meanwhile, has become what it set out to be 75 years ago—the most reliable, long-term solution available.
The early filming materials and methodology have improved by trial and error. Now, camera heads reproduce newspaper pages with clarity, and printed photos are identifiable, even crisp, compared to those filmed 50 years ago. Early patron microfilm reels (or “dupes”) could last over 50 years. They could be copied again from the master reel with a lifespan of over a century.
Today, it is the new standard of silver diazo patron (dupe) reels that will last over a century. Newer master reels that are coated in a silver bath can last over 200 years. A master reel can last two or three times as long as a printed newspaper if the environment is ideal. For this reason, the Indiana State Library (ISL) master film vault is below-ground, carefully monitored for low humidity and temperatures hovering close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Eventual master reproduction is imperative, but aging masters can also be copied to new reels (although this process involves careful monitoring of current masters to discover signs of deterioration). Single-format preservation does not guarantee a newspaper object’s survival, however, and print or digital versions are necessary to strengthen a title’s chances of survival. As a supportive base for film preservation, the reliability of the digital objects is dependent upon careful monitoring and updating to ensure they can still be opened and used. The IARA film lab has informed ISL that all blank microfilm reels made for preservation are only manufactured overseas currently. Has your microfilm provider had trouble in finding supplies (such as blank reels) and service techs for microfilm printing machines?