Microform Facts for Kids

A roll of (positive) microfilm

Microform is a special type of photographic film. It holds tiny pictures of documents. Imagine shrinking a big paper document down to a very small size, usually about 25 times smaller! People use microform mainly to save and store important papers for a very long time.

Microform is a great way to keep old records safe. It helps libraries, governments, and businesses store huge amounts of information in a small space. It also protects documents from damage or getting lost.

Types of Microform
How Long Does Microform Last?
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Types of Microform

There are three main types of microform that people use:

Microfilm

Microfilm looks like a regular film reel, similar to what you might see in an old movie projector. It's a long strip of film wound onto a reel. Each reel can hold thousands of tiny images of documents. You need a special machine called a microfilm reader to view the documents.

Microfiche

Microfiche is a flat, clear sheet of film. It's usually about the size of an index card. Each microfiche sheet can hold many pages of documents arranged in a grid. It's like having a whole book on one small card! Just like microfilm, you need a special reader to see the tiny pages clearly.

Aperture Card

An aperture card is a type of punch card with a small opening, or "aperture." A piece of microfilm, usually containing a single image like a blueprint or a map, is placed in this opening. The rest of the card can hold extra information about the document using punched holes, which can be read by computers. This makes it easy to find specific drawings or plans.

How Long Does Microform Last?

If microform is stored correctly, it can last for a very, very long time. Keeping it at room temperature and with the right amount of moisture (around 50% humidity) helps it stay in good condition. Under these perfect conditions, microform can last for up to 500 years! This makes it a super reliable way to preserve history and important information.