What are Microforms?

Microforms are full-sized graphics and text reduced to micro-images many times smaller than the original. These micro-images are restored to legible size with the use of special machines called readers and can be copied onto paper by reader/printers.

Microform formats include:
Microfiche: A sheet of 4x6 or 3x5 film.
Microfilm: A continuous strip of 16 or 35 mm film wound on a reel.
Microcard: An opaque card, usually 3x5 or 6x9.

Microforms at Ellis

The microforms department houses over 1 million individual pieces of microform. These span many collections of which some of the more notable are listed here.

• 18th Century Provincial Newspapers (Great Britain)
• Alphabetized collection of newspapers and periodicals-- over 800 titles, some dating back to early 1700s
• American Periodical Series
• Annual Reports Arkansas Documents
• CIS US Serial Set
• College Catalogs
• Congressional Record
• Daniel Webster's papers
• Dispatches for US ministers
• ERIC
• Federal Register Government Documents by SUDOC number
• Hansard collection of Parliamentary Debates (Great Britain)
• History of Photography
• Journal Citation Reports
• Kraus Curriculum Development Library
• Numbered theses on microfiche
• Numbered theses on microfilm
• Phone Fiche
• Presidential papers of James Monroe, James Madison and Andrew Jackson
• Returns from US military posts
• Selected reels of US Census
• Southern Tenant Farmers Union
• Tests On Microfiche
• US Department of Justice letters and papers
• US Department of the Interior Territorial Papers
• Wright American Fiction Collection

Microforms Equipment

The Dean B. Ellis Library microforms department has a variety of equipment to serve patrons who wish to utilize the microforms collection. The microform staff will ensure that all patrons will get a thorough tutorial on how to operate the microform viewing and printing equipment.

• Microform readers -- microform readers are only used for viewing microform documents. They do not print. It is recommended that patrons first use the microform readers for researching before using a reader/printer. We ask this because microform research can be time consuming. It is not fair to other patrons to tie up a reader/printer if one is going to spend hours on research without printing.

The microforms department has four microfilm readers, two microfiche readers, one ultrafiche reader, and one microcard reader.

• Microform reader/printers -- After a patron has located their material on a reader, the next step is to note where their information is on the microform and move to a reader/printer. Again, the microforms staff will assist with operating instructions. The patron can then use the reader/printer to locate the desired document and make a copy of it. Microform document copies cost fifteen cents a page.


• Microform reader/scanner -- it is possible to read a microform document, scan it and then save the scan to a 3 1/2" floppy disk or a 100 or 250 mgb zip disk or to send the scan as an attachment to an email address. Again, help is available to perform these digital tasks.

Note: -- the reader/scanner has the secondary purpose of reading and printing in the traditional manner. If a patron is using the reader/scanner for printing when a reader/printer is available, the patron using the scanner may be asked to move to a reader/printer.

Where We're Located

After entering the library, walk past the Circulation counter and the Information desk, straight back to the microforms department. Or ask at Circulation or Information for directions.

Staff

There are also highly trained part-time student workers available to help you with anything you need.

The machines are open for use from the time the library opens until the time it closes. However, there are no staff members available to help you after 9:00 pm.

Contact Us

You can contact the library at (870) 972-3077. Please note that microforms cannot be loaned out from the microforms department, you must contact the Dean B. Ellis Inter Library Loan.

Links

Film-based Imaging Association
An association that acts as an advocate for the needs and concerns of companies providing microfilm-based solutions.

Microforms, Micrographics Guide
General information about the types of microforms.

United States Newspaper Program

Comments/questions to:  Mark Berky