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Microfilm tedious? (was: Baker)



I agree with Tom (and others who have posted on this topic). The subject matter is what makes the research tedious, not the medium. Some microfilms are in better condition that others, and some readers work better than others (at my library, we have an exceedingly high-tech reader that always gives me error messages when I turn it on; I'd much rather have an old-fashioned hand-cranked one).

In my personal genealogical research, I have worked with heavy ledgers that always seem to be on shelves above my head and are crumbling with red-rot; microfilm is a lot lighter to lift and cleaner.

I read recently, either on this list or in some genealogical publication, that computer users are having some problems with CD and online census records that are making some of them nostalgic for microfilm! I am (again, personally) currently having a major problem getting a CD of the American Biographical and Genealogical Index to perform correctly, even though I technically have more than the recommended computer capability. Every medium can have problems.




Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer
Special Collections Librarian/Archivist

Culinary Institute of America
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY  12538
(845) 451-1757
c_crawfo@culinary.edu

>>> Tom Anderson <tanderson@AMSE.ORG> 04/19/01 03:20PM >>>
I can't say as I find microfilm research any more tedious than online research, or pouring through piles of books, and I must say it's certainly easier to handle than oversized, fragile newsprint.  Not to mention it's easier to get a copy of the article I want compared to trying to photocopy the pertinent articles out of a paper.  And you're right, it *is* better to have microfilm than nothing at all.

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