Author: Mark W. Swarthout
Published on: January 12, 2001
So, you read my previous article and then surfed the web for all the information you could find. You found a couple of newspapers that your ancestors were likely to have gotten and armed with the print out from the web site, you visited the Inter Library Load desk at your local library. And, if things worked the way they should, in about two weeks you got a phone call that informs you that your microfilm has arrived. In my case I had five rolls of microfiche and thirty days to do something with them. Now what?
You sit down at the reader and started going through them.
It is a daunting task to begin with, even a small four page weekly has over 200 pages a year and most films will have several years on them. Here are some tricks I learned that made things move faster:
1. Choose your microfiche reader carefully! If you haven't used one recently, get one of the librarians to give you a quick run through on how to operate the machine. You also want one that allows you to make copies of the screen.
My library has three separate machines that all look alike at first. I've since learned that they have three different ranges of magnification. Choose the magnification that works best for you. I usually stay in the middle ranges.
Also check to see that the viewing screen, lenses and guides are clean and not smudged or scratched. Sometimes you'll find it hard to distinguish between a dirty machine and just an old, scratched roll of microfiche. And dirty lenses and plates can make an already eye straining job more difficult.
2. Most papers are pretty consistent about where certain items are published. For the first couple of issues, you need to go through them carefully and learn the layout of the paper you are reading.
In my specific instance, I quickly determined that the first page consisted entirely of reading material. It literally contained excerpts from novels and stories as well as some poetry. No big news headlines such as we are used to there! The second page began with news items from around the nation and world, and somewhere about the middle of the second page, was a column entitled The Bee, where the editor wrote about local items and copied items of interest from surrounding newspapers. Legal notices followed this on page three and then advertising filled the remainder.
Knowing this will allow you to move through the pages faster, but do watch for changes! I had to back track through a roll once because they added a new section, entitled Home Matters, which separated out the local news from the regional and state news. If I hadn't noticed the change, I would have missed a couple of important articles!
3. If you find an article you want to keep, print it out! Don't take the time to read it on the screen, particularly if you are getting good copies on the printouts. It is much easier to read from paper than the screens and less tiring on the eyes. Even at my young age, I try to take it easy on my eyes. Most of the time I end up typing the appropriate entry into my word processor without even "reading" it while typing. I obviously saw the words, but didn't read them!
4. Make sure you identify and record the source and dates! I try to insure that the date of the paper is included on the portion I'm copying if at all possible. Otherwise, I write the date on a corner. Remember that you want to be able to document your sources, so if you ever get around to writing that family history, or applying for membership in the DAR, you don't have to recreate your research!
5. Take your time! I know, spending twenty hours in the library may not seem
like the most fun thing to do, but think of what you will learn. (Actually,
I used to dream about being stuck there!) On several occasions I have dropped
my kids off for an hour of lessons and raced to the library for forty-five minutes
of research. I always feel pressured, even though I scan the pages carefully.
Setting aside a full day to read through your microfiche is not a bad idea,
but watch the eye strain!
Items that I have found useful to have with me:
Money - To pay for copies, coffee and/or sodas. Also to pay your Interlibrary Loan Fees. Sometimes they require a check to send to the remote site.
Writing instruments - Some libraries limit you to pencil.
Family group sheets - If any of your relatives that lived in same area, take them with you. You may hit the mother lode!
Highlighter- I don't highlight the actual article in case I want to copy it. I use it to mark the particular column or paragraph of interest so I can quickly see why I copied that page.
Eye Drops - Particularly if you wear contact lenses. Do take time to rest your eyes and look away from the screen often. And do get up and walk around a bit to keep the circulation going!