{"id":5998,"date":"2023-09-11T09:24:47","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T14:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/hpnl\/?p=5998"},"modified":"2025-12-23T16:48:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T22:48:30","slug":"microfilm-research-digital-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.library.illinois.edu\/hpnl\/blog\/microfilm-research-digital-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Microfilm Research, Digital Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microfilm and Digital Research\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Intro:<\/b><\/p>\n

The History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library holds over 100,000 reels of microfilmed newspapers in its collection as well as most of the University Library microfilm. The term \u201cmicroform\u201d encompasses microfilm and microfiche (as well as the now obsolete microcard.) What is microfilm and why do researchers and historians use it?<\/p>\n

(University of Illinois Libguide to Microform<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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HPNL Microfilm at a Glance<\/b><\/p>\n

1 reel of microfilm = 125ft
\n125ft * 100,000 reels = 2,367 miles
\nThat\u2019s the distance from UIUC to the Pacific Ocean.<\/i><\/p>\n

1 reel of microfilm = 13 days of New York Times<\/p>\n

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Microfilm: film-bearing photographs of printed or other graphic materials, reduced in size for ease of use and storage. (HPNL Reel of 25 mm. Microfilm (7408006026).jpg Wikimedia Commons)\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Microfiche: A small sheet of microfilm. (Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Brief History of Microfilm\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Microfilming technology began in the nineteenth century. John Benjamin Dancer an optician and instrument maker is credited with creating the first microphotograph and the microfilming process in 1839. Rene Dragon, a French optician, received the first patent for microfilm in 1859. He later worked with the French government during the Franco-Prussian War 1870-71 using carrier pigeons to transport microfilmed messages out of besieged Paris. The normal channels of communication had been interrupted by the war, including the post and telegraph. Previously carrier pigeons carried small handwritten messages, with microformatting technology they could send more messages with less space. By the war’s end, Dragon and Co had handled over 150,000 messages and a million private letters and dispatches.<\/p>\n

Microfilm and formatting technology was taken up by newspapers in the 1930s, the New York Times began publishing microfilmed versions in 1935.<\/p>\n

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For more on the history of microfilm see UCLA’s Southern Regional Library facility’s great online exhibit on the history of microfilm<\/a><\/p>\n

What kind of materials are available on microform?<\/strong><\/p>\n