Microform Information

Microform is a term that includes several different formats of materials in a reduced size: microfilm, microfiche (also known as "fiche"), and microcard. There are great advantages in storage space needed and preservation capabilities of this medium. The library owns over 4 million pieces of film or fiche. You will see a great deal of overlap between Microform and Documents because many government materials are distributed in microfiche and some microfiche collections contain reprints of government materials.

Access & Circulation

Use LibCat to locate materials in this section as you would with other library collections. However, be aware that some materials can only be found using some specialized indexes, such as the Guide to the Microform Collections in the Sterling C. Evans Library.

Most fiche and film more than 20 years old can be checked out from the library. Portable readers are also available to take with you. Patrons may also request materials in microform through Get it for me and, subject to Edocs guidelines, the item may be scanned into a digitial format and sent to the patron.

Please ask at the Current Periodicals Service Desk on the 2nd floor of the Evans Library for further assistance.

Collections

Newspapers and journals are the most frequently requested items in microform. We have approximately 3,000 subscription titles. Some Texas newspapers are held, but only the Houston Chronicle has a print index. Many national newspapers are indexed by a variety of databases or are available in electronic format available through the library's home page. International coverage is provided by government translations of foreign papers through the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Electronic Index. Other popular items are ERIC documents and curriculum guides.

Many subject areas are covered by the wide variety of major research collections in microform. Some examples are:

Agriculture - State experiment station publications
Anthropology - Human Relations Area Files
History - U.S. Presidential papers, Radical Pamphlet Literature, Goldsmiths'-Kress Library of Economic Literature, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
Literature - Wright American Fiction, Spanish Drama of the Golden Age
Science - Landmarks of Science
Sociology - Underground Newspaper Collection

Copying

Microform scanners with computers are available to the public at no charge to scan microfiche and microfilm into a computer file. The scanner/computers are networked to allow patrons to print at 10 cents per page using reader-printers. They are located in Course Reserves and Current Periodicals on the 2nd floor of the Evans Library .

Physical Arrangement

Call numbers are assigned according to the type of material. For example, newspaper call numbers begin with the letter "N". The designation FILM or FICHE will also be part of the call number. The call number and location needed to find an item is designated in LibCat. Please ask at the Current Periodicals Service Desk the 2nd floor of the Evans Library for further assistance.