Know your Resources - How to Read Microfiche

Following up my previous post about library resources, I thought I might take the time to explain how to read microfiche. Microfiche, as my previous post explains, are essentially books and other materials printed on small pieces of celluloid. It's a great way for libraries to store large collections of information in much smaller spaces. 

However, microfiche cannot be read normally. And that's why I'm going to take you through the process of reading a microfiche. 

We'll pick up the process right after you've found your resource.

1. Check to see if the resource you found is in microfiche



Here you can see that the resource is in microfiche,
the call number, and that it is available as an eBook

2. Make sure that the microfiche resource is not available as an eBook
3. Write down the call number
4. Look for the resource in your library's microfiche section 
5. Pull out all the sections of your resource
6. Go check at your library's circulation desk to rent a microfiche reader
7. Turn the microfiche reader on
8. Slip the celluloid pages into the microfiche reader one at a time
9. Use the computer program provided to capture the individual pages
10. Once you are finished, save the pages
    

After this point, you can usually do one of two things: 

• If the microfiche reader provides internet access, you can email the pages to yourself 
• Otherwise, you can save the pages to a zip drive

Additionally, here are a few additional notes from my own experience reading microfiche: 

• Reading microfiche is very time consuming. If you have an alternate way of getting the same resource - such as an eBook, use it. 
• Many microfiche resources are printed on multiple "pages." Some libraries may store all the pages together on in one file, or they may store the pages individually in different files right next to each other. Make sure to check  
• Microfiche readers usually have a short rental time - the one I used was two hours, with no grace period. Make sure to get all the microfiche you want to have read first before you rent one.
• Some libraries may give you a set of specific instructions on how to use the microfiche reader. If they do so, refer to that. If they don't, don't be afraid to ask for help from the librarians. They usually have someone nearby just for that purpose.

So far as microfiche go, that is about it - except for one thing. How does this tie in with historical character creation? It ties in the same way that learning about a college library does: microfiche has resources that you can't find elsewhere.

And having the best resources will make your character more realistic and believable to your readers, which is the entire point.