Microfilm out, digital cameras phasing in
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After a long career in the lights, microfilm is beginning to roll into the sunset.
The durable medium of microfilming that has been used by the Church for copying vital records since 1938 is being phased out. Going, too, are the bulky cameras with their boxes of film that were shipped in crates to far corners of the world before being unpacked, tested, shot, processed, evaluated, and then perhaps re-shot.
Digital cameras, which almost fit in a camera operator's pocket, are now increasingly on the Church's camera stands, with their instant evaluations and storage on a computer's removable hard drive — with re-shoots a thing largely relegated to the past.
"In the archival world, more and more archivists are seeing the value of providing access to records electronically," said Wayne J. Metcalfe, director of acquisitions for the Family and Church History Department. He said about 65 digital cameras — about a third of the total — are in operation now, and within three to five years, microfilm cameras will largely be gone.
Of course, the microfilm that currently lines acres of drawers in the Family History Library will continue to be inserted into readers and cranked by researchers for years to come before it, too, is eventually replaced by electronic media.
"We certainly are committed to automating everything we can," he said.
The camera operators are picking it up quickly. "We thought there would be a fairly substantial learning curve for our camera operators as they made the transition to the new technology," said Brother Metcalfe. "Those who have a background in computers can be up to speed in weeks."
He said one operator who had been overly cautious with film is now producing more images with the digital camera than he had been with film.
"Our operators are learning new things all the time," said Brother Metcalfe. "The software we use we developed, and we are working on a new version that will enhance our ability to provide greater service to archives."
From digital cameras come images that can be sent through the Internet, downloaded at a researcher's home, and studied with exacting detail.
"Just the power of the computer enables us to do things you can't do with just microfilm," he said. Digital records can have a watermark that tells the user the document is not the original. Researchers must agree to the conditions of use that go with the records. And because technical information is recorded automatically on digital images, that also eliminates a human step, and the possibility of human error.
At present, the images are stored after being collected, but in the future perhaps images will be quickly cycled online. Future hopes also center on eliminating digital images' greatest liability — that of not having a permanent storage. And presently, all of the digital captures have to be migrated, or re-copied, every five to seven years to ensure their preservation. Nor is digital equipment as enduring as film cameras.
"Digital preservation is still an issue and we are confident that in the next three to five years there will be a long-term solution."
He said making the transition to digital storage has "helped us maintain a position of leadership in the archival world, where many archives look to us at how we might go about providing such access in the future."
Some of the archives are trusting the Church's digital process because they trust the Church, said Brother Metcalfe.
"They were professionally very nervous about it, and as we developed a relationship and rapport, they said, in essence, 'We know we can trust you; we are going to go with you on this.' "
Each individual image is from 1 to 10 megs in size, though it will be compressed to 200 k when put online. Images are also compressed when stored — moved from TIFF format to a .JPEG 2000 lossless format. About 5,000 to 10,000 images are captured by a camera each week, and the data are sent by removable storage to headquarters. The storage device can be used over and over, resulting in additional savings.
"It is easier to get things fixed over the phone," said Henry Hanft, a technical support provider. Problem images can be e-mailed back and forth. He also noted that there is no loss in quality of copies, as there is with film.
With all the filming that has been done over the past 67 years, some country records are nearly all copied, said Brother Metcalfe. "That applies to the Nordic areas, Netherlands, and even in England we are coming to a period of time where we are starting to look and say that there is an end."
The next generation probably won't have to copy records with any camera, he surmises. Instead of a big box of a camera poised on a heavy stand over dusty, crumbling and yellowed sheets, clicking away with the hope that exposure and focus are correct, a few blinking lights will signal a quick electronic exchange.
E-mail to: jhart@desnews.com
