Re: microcard and microfiche

["Walter Cybulski" <CYBULSKW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Andy:
ANSI/AIIM TR13-1998, Preservation of Microforms in an Active Environment - Guidline cautions that "different generic types (silver halide, diazo, or vesicular, for example) should not be interfiled or in physical contact with one another" (p. 15)  - but does not mention microcards.  TR13 further recommends that, should different types of film need to be interfiled regardless of potential negative effects of their interaction, "the use of acid-free dividers will at least eliminate physical contact."  Are the microcards the same size as the fiche?  Are the cards badly curled?   What type of fiche are you talking about?  I would be concerned with the acidity of the microcard paper stock and the paper sleeves used to store the fiche.  ANSI/PIMA IT9.2-1998, American National Standard for Imaging Materials - Photographic Processed Films, Plates, and Papers - Filing Enclosures and Storage Containers, states that "paper, cardboard, and plastic enclosure materials ... shall meet the requirements of the photographic activity test as described in ANSI/NAPM IT9.16" (p. 2).  Keep in mind that ANSI/PIMA IT9.16 only applies to storage copies, but includes silver-gelatin, color (dye-gelatin) and diazo films.  Additional factors you need to take into consideration are the temperature, RH and amount of air circulation in the Reading Room and the extent to which the fiche & cards are used.  Closed drawers in warm moist dead air wouldn't be good for any kind of collection.  If you do end up storing the materials together, it might be best to at least segregate the fiche from the cards using acid-free dividers.  Yeah, they're only use copies, but...  Hope this helps.

Walter Cybulski
Head, Quality Assurance Unit
National Library of Medicine
301-496-2690

>>> Andrew Hart               <ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 12/07/99 06:11AM >>>

Does anyone know of a reason not to interfile microcards in a drawer used
primarily for microfiche?  While most of our microcards are in large
collections and stored together, we have a smaller number that our
Microforms Reading Room staff would like to interfile among fiche.
Comments about this practice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Andy.

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 Andrew Hart, Preservation Librarian
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
 CB#3918, Davis Library
 Chapel Hill, NC 27514
 tel: (919) 962-8047
 fax: (919) 962-4450
 email: ashart@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
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