Mid-America has been supporting microfilm systems for over 40 years. In addition to providing microfilm systems, we also offer digitization services for customers looking to switch to a completely digital workflow. Digitization of microfilm can provide your business with a variety of benefits, including but not limited to:
With Mid-America, access to digitized documents can be quick and effortless. We provide online access to digitized microfilm and other documents for quick retrieval and viewing. In addition, we also provide users the ability to create word-searchable files during the conversion process to easily sort and retrieve specific documents. This can help users who are unfamiliar with the digitization process, as files can be named in more familiar, electronic formats. Digitzing your microfilm allows accessing images from virtually anywhere, supporting the work-from-home environments we are experiencing.
Digitization provides you with immediate access to a lexicon of files at your computer, allowing you to more quickly respond to inquiries from clients or file-pull requests. Furthermore, digitized files are accessible to view and download by multiple people at a time, providing more efficient file use and reducing time wasted manually transferring files. Digitized microfilm also does not require previous experience with using a microfilm viewer, negating the need for equipment and training.
Unlike digital files, microfilm is a quite fragile medium and requires specific temperatures and humidity in order to stay intact. If temperatures fluctuate greatly, image quality can quickly deteriorate and degrade the overall clarity and readability of the microfilm. Additionally, the acetate in which microfilm is recorded on can degrade and ruin nearby microfilms, an effect known as ‘vinegar syndrome’.
On top of storage degradation, microfilm can also be damaged during viewing. Microfilm can become extremely brittle over time, making it difficult to use in a viewer. Viewing equipment can also create large streaks or scratches in the film if any particles become trapped between surfaces.
Another issue that traditional microfilm faces is the upkeeping of viewing equipment. Many microfilm viewers were produced during the 20th century and can easily become non-operational or unserviceable. If repairs are possible, specialized equipment repairs can be quite expensive. Furthermore, older microfilm equipment may not be capable of producing high-resolution images. In comparison, digitized microfilm can be imaged in extremely high clarity and quality.
Lastly, microfilm equipment and rolls take up space. Microfilm imagers and viewers can be heavy, bulky, and overall a large investment in space. Not to mention the accompanying microfilm rolls themselves, which require specific storage techniques and climates. With digitized microfilm, all documents can be quickly accessed from the convenience of your desk—eliminating the need for any in-house equipment. Documents can easily be distributed and copied amongst coworkers and organizations alike. Duplication no longer requires a large, heavy microfilm duplicator. It can be done with the click of a button.
In addition to microfilm digitization and compilation, Mid-America offers:
• Free survey analysis for estimating your conversion project
• Free document retrieval of a microfilm record for you when it is in the conversion process
• Export formats and import services to upload your digital files to an ECM or destination of choice
• Hosted cloud storage of your electronic files with secure access
Using microfilm is still a great way to archive information for hundreds of years, but it is a more difficult medium to use for performing every-day retrievals Converting your microfilm can provide your organization with immediate access to organized, indexed digital reproductions of any microfilm image needed. Save money, time and stress with Mid-America. Let us provide you with top-notch microfilm digitization at an affordable price, quality-assured.
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