Microforms
A microform is any kind of reduced print publication, including microfilm, microfiche, ultra-microfiche and microcard. Many important materials are available only in microform.
Crumb Library has major microform collections in these areas:
|
|
|
Many microforms are listed in the online catalog (by author, title, and subject). They are identified by the term "microfiche", or "microfilm" before call number, and are found in drawers behind and to the left of the Reference Desk. Machines to read and photocopy them are nearby.
Some large microfilm collections are not listed in the online catalog. You must use other indexes, as described below, to find what is in them.
For materials in these collections, use either the online catalog or a printed index, as described in the following sections.
Periodicals in microform (mainly microfilm) are listed in the online catalog. Here is a typical record showing the years we have Newsweek on microfilm:
The call number (top line, right) is the location of the microfilm in the cabinets in the Periodicals Area (1st floor). The volume numbers, and corresponding years, available here on microfilm are listed below the call number.
Many newspapers, including archival collections, are now available as digital collections of historic newspapers. Other are preserved on microfilm. See our "Newspapers in microform" page.
3 - U.S. Government Publications
A number of federal government publications have been issued on microfiche. Among these are House and Senate committee reports and documents, many hearings, and annual cumulations of the Congressional Record since 1977. Some government publications can be located by author, title, or subject in the online catalog. Those with call numbers beginning "US Doc..." will be in paper on the 2nd floor. Those with call numbers beginning "Y..." may be in microfiche or paper. Ask at the Reference Desk.
A separate index to U.S. government documents is the Catalog of U.S. Documents. When viewing the record for an item in this index, you can check to see if this library curently elects to receives documents from the category to which that document belongs. That is a good indication whether it will be found in the library. Ask at, or call (267-2485) the Information Desk for further help.
The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) collection is a large, and growing, set of diverse publications about education. The microfiche are in drawers behind the stairs, and the index is available on the web.
5 - Early American History and Culture
We have five important collections in this subject area:
a) The Library of American Civilization (LAC)
The several thousand items in LAC (Library of American Civilization) deal with American history and culture before World War I.
For this collection use the index shelved at Ref. Z 1236.L5 1971, or a second copy of the same kept on top of the drawers of LAC ultra-microfiche
(classed as WAC1).
b) Evans' Early American Imprints
The index to the Evans' collection (Early American Imprints, 1639-1800) is at the beginning of the microcard collection itself, on
low shelves along the wall behind the Information Desk.
c) Jeffersonian Americana
The Jeffersonian Americana collection is a selection of 707 titles from the list of early American books compiled by Sabin (see Ref. Z 1201.S2);
the microfiche (classed as WF1) is arranged by Sabin number.
d) The American Culture Series
The American Culture Series, in addition to being indexed in the card catalog, has an index volume at Ref E 156.A1 A583 1979.
It contains early American books and pamphlets. In the online catalog each book from this collection has a call number which indicates its
reel number and its position on the reel of microfilm. For example: XE 4.5 277:8 is the eighth title on reel #277 at XE 4.5.
e) American Periodical Series
American Periodicals Series is a set of 33 reels of pre-1800 periodicals, found at AP 2.A2A4 in the microfilm drawers. A catalog of the set is
shelved at Ref PN 4877.A1 H65 1979.
Other microform materials are described on the page for Primary Sources for U.S. History
6 - English History and Culture
Early English Books: Pollard and Redgrave's English Books Before 1640 is a microfilm collection of books printed in England, Scotland, and Ireland; and English books printed abroad from 1475 to 1640. Use the Short-Title Catalogue (Ref. Z 2002.P77 1956) and the accompanying Cross Index to determine on which reel of microfilm the books in this collection are found. The microfilm is classed as XAC in cabinets in the Reference Area. Online index to the Early English Books collection. More about Early English Books.
This is a microfiche collection of 2298 primary and secondary materials on slavery. Most of the titles are included in the online catalog, where they are identified by call numbers beginning with WE and Wa/E1.
The federal census records from 1810 to 1880 and 1900 to 1920 for St. Lawrence Co. (and some other areas) are in microfilm drawers at XHA1.
Can microforms be copied onto paper?
There are many different kinds of microforms, most of which can be copied to paper. This includes all microfilm and most microfiche. There are coin-operated machines to do this in the Periodicals Area on the first floor. For students, faculty and staff, Crumb Library also has a microformat reader that can scan and save page images to your individual campus server space for access to view and print. This machine supports a special lens for reading and copying LAC microfiche--ask at the Reference Desk.