Documents, reports,
journals, newsletters, correspondence produced by typewriters, computers, facsimile
machines and even by hand are being created and duplicated in unprecedented volumes.
Consider the bulk of paper documents in every office today, whether it be in industry,
an academic institution or a government office. To get at the information in this
form, pages have to be leafed through, heavy volumes must be removed from shelves
or file drawers . . . to disseminate information in this form means carrying, mailing,
trucking or otherwise transporting bulky, cumbersome material at appreciable effort
and expense. To store and retrieve information in this form means considerable expenditures
of personnel and space, both of which are expensive. More importantly paper is most
often the bottleneck of an organization causing delays in conducting business, poor
customer service, losing out to competition and even lost revenue and profit.
It does present a problem. We've all become so dependent on paper that it is part
of our everyday lives both at work and at home. Paychecks, bills, reports, medical
records, charge account files, correspondence, technical data and virtually every
type of information we need is on paper. Computers have solved a lot of information
problems for us ... but along the way they've created some new ones! Computers produce
a great deal of paper that we must process.
Fortunately, new methods and systems have been developed to solve the document bottleneck
dilemma . . . one of these systems is mlcrographlc8.
Very few people want to use microfilm. Old traditions die hard and paper has many
advantages that microfilm is unable to offer. There are, however, many benefits
that microfilm offers over paper which therefore justifies the employment of micrographic
systems.
The
following are the prime reasons for the wide popularity of micrographics today.
Incomplete or out-of-date records
are often the source of serious errors and consequent customer complaints, lost
time and increased costs. With the appropriate microform and system the problem
of lost or misfiled documents can be totally eliminated.
Reduction In bulk and saving
of space achieved by microfilming documents enables files to be located where they
are needed, instead of where they will cost as little as possible to accommodate
- such as the basement.
File Uniformity - each microform
is produced to a standard format which eliminates the handling of many different
sizes of documents.
Reduced distribution costs, since
microfilm is usually only 2% of the weight of the paper documents from which it
is made - this enables first class and airmail instead of parcel post to be used.
Quicker dissemination - turn
around time to prepare and disseminate information on microforms instead of paper
can put the material in the hands of the user much faster.
Customer service improved by
having records available faster through automated retrieval techniques and having
the files closer to the user with fingertip accessibility.
Duplicates available faster and
at lower cost. In view of these features multiple files can be made available where
only one paper file existed, thus providing convenience and multiple access.
Rapid updating - microforms reduce
updating delays. Instead of having dozens of pages to file when updated material
is received, only one or two microfiche need to be slipped into the file.
Security can be provided by storing
a duplicate copy at a remote location. Paper files in constant use soon become dirty
and dog-eared, microfilm is more durable than paper and can be protected by use
of cartridges. Individual documents can be removed from paper files and the loss
may not be discovered for a long time.
It is almost impossible to remove one page
from most micrographic systems.
High Capacity Step-and-Repeat Microfiche Operation