What steps are involved in microfilming newspapers?
Microfilming newspapers is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. For current titles, subscriptions are established and maintained to ensure that every issue of the paper is available for filming. Older titles are sought out from collectors, libraries, local governments, or wherever else they can be found. Once acquired, the newspapers are prepared for filming by sorting them into chronological order, noting missing issues, cutting them out of bindings, repairing paper tears and other damage, and ironing them flat. For ongoing titles, issues are accumulated to fill up an entire roll of microfilm before being prepared and filmed. The filming itself is done page by page, followed by developing, quality control checks, and duplicating. The Georgia Newspaper Project adheres to all ANSI/AIIM standards to produce film with an LE500 rating (life expectancy of 500 years).
