Microfilm was once considered to be the gold standard of information storage. At its peak, no other storage medium could match its convenience, affordability, and durability. Government agencies, libraries, and historical archives relied on it for long-term data storage, and even today, microfilm and microfiche are still in use.
Even though most people have switched over to digital storage, microfilm is still a reliable option for archival purposes. Modern polyester-based microfilm is highly resilient and, under the proper conditions, it can last for up to 500 years.
Despite its durability, microfilm is not immune to deterioration. Without careful handling and the right storage conditions, it can become brittle, warped, or chemically unstable.
Thankfully, simply by following a few best practices, you can keep your microfilm and microfiche in perfect condition. Whether you’re managing historical archives, government records, or a personal collection, knowing how to handle and take care of your microfilm can help you protect it for years to come.
In this guide, we’ll cover the best ways to handle, store, and care for microfilm and microfiche to help you extend it’s lifespan.
Best Practices for Handling Microfilm
Microfilm is durable, but improper handling can cause scratches, fingerprints, and other damage that affects its readability. Taking a few simple precautions before and during the handling of your film can help you prevent unnecessary wear and tear.
Wash and Dry Your Hands Before Handling Your Film
Before touching your microfilm, make sure your hands are clean and completely dry. Oils, sweat, and dirt from your skin can transfer onto the film, resulting in deterioration. If you handle your microfilm often, consider keeping a lint-free microfiber cloth close by to wipe away smudges as they happen. That way, these damaging materials don’t sit on the film any longer than necessary.
Handle Film by the Edges or Leaders
Whenever possible, hold microfilm by the edges or the clear leader section to avoid contact with the emulsion side. The emulsion layer is where the images are stored, and touching it repeatedly can cause degradation over time. If you need to load reels or position film for scanning, occasional contact with the back of the film isn’t a major issue, but minimizing direct contact within reason is best practices.
Wear Gloves
Gloves are a bit of a debated topic when it comes to handling microfilm. Wearing them is completely optional, as clean, dry hands are often enough to avoid damaging your film. That being said, gloves can help reduce fingerprints and the transfer of skin oils, especially if your hands tend to sweat or if you’re working with especially fragile material.
If you do choose to wear gloves, some types are better suited for microfilm than others. Vinyl or nitrile gloves are generally the best option. They don’t cling to the film and provide a barrier that prevents oil transfer.
Cotton gloves are soft and gentle, but they can shed lint, which may show up in scans or prints if you’re working with imaging equipment. Latex gloves aren’t ideal since they tend to stick to the film and can make handling more difficult.
In most cases, clean hands will do the job just fine, but gloves can offer a little extra protection when you need it.
Keep Your Workspace Clean
Dust and debris can cause scratches or contamination, so always handle microfilm on a clean, dry, and flat surface. If you’re working in an area with a lot of dust or static, using an anti-static brush or air blower can help remove particles before handling the film.
How to Properly Store Microfilm
Proper storage is also important when it comes to maximizing the life of your microfilm. Since most of its lifespan is spent in storage, the right environment can be the difference between decades of readability and premature deterioration.
Microfilm is sensitive to heat, humidity, light, and chemical exposure. Without the right conditions, film can fade, warp, or develop irreversible damage like vinegar syndrome. But with proper care, microfilm can remain intact for centuries.
Control Temperature and Humidity
Microfilm should be stored in a temperature-controlled environment, ideally below 70°F (21°C), with colder temperatures being even better. Heat accelerates chemical degradation, leading to contrast loss and fading over time.
Humidity should be kept below 50%, ideally between 30% and 40%. High humidity promotes mold growth and oxidation of the silver emulsion, which causes tarnished red spots or faded patches. To prevent exposure to moisture, microfilm stored in cold conditions should be allowed to warm gradually to room temperature before you use it to avoid condensation from forming on the surface of your film.
Protect Against Chemical Reactions
Microfilm is highly susceptible to chemical interactions that can accelerate deterioration. To minimize exposure:
- Store microfilm in individual enclosures rather than stacking multiple rolls together, otherwise deterioration can spread.
- Avoid cardboard boxes, wooden cabinets, or acidic paper that can release harmful gases as it ages.
- Use acid-free, lignin-free storage materials or chemically inert plastic containers.
- Don’t use use rubber bands around microfilm, as they contain sulfur which can damage the emulsion.
Limit Light Exposure
Excessive light, especially direct sunlight or fluorescent lighting, can cause microfilm to fade beyond readability. Store microfilm in a dark, enclosed space and avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight when viewing or handling film.
Store Microfilm in the Right Position
Microfiche should be stored upright whenever possible, since stacking it can lead to curling or warping over time.
Microfilm reels should be fully wound before being placed in storage, but it’s important not to wind them too tightly. Excessive tension can stretch the film, causing permanent damage. A gentle, even wind is best to help maintain the film’s shape and prevent issues later on.
Use Duplicate Copies for Regular Use
If you need to access certain reels often, it’s a good idea to make a duplicate. That way, the originals can stay safely stored while you use the copies for things like scanning, printing, or general reference. This helps reduce wear and tear on the original film and keeps it in better condition for long-term storage.
Keep Storage Areas Clean and Dust-Free
Keeping your storage area clean goes a long way in protecting microfilm from damage. Dust and airborne particles can cause scratches or other issues that affect image quality over time. Using enclosed cabinets helps keep the film protected when not in use. It’s also a good habit to return microfilm to its container right after you’re done with it, rather than letting it sit out.
Protect Your Microfilm From Other Disasters
Protecting microfilm from fire, water damage, and other unexpected events is just as important as storing it properly. All it takes is one incident to lose years’ worth of valuable records, so it’s worth having a backup plan in place.
The most effective way to protect your collection is by duplicating it. You can either make physical copies through microfilm duplication services or have your film scanned and converted into digital files. Both options give you a safety net in case the originals are ever damaged or lost.
Option 1: Create Physical Backups
Making physical copies of your microfilm collection is a simple way to ensure the information is never lost. Microfilm duplication services can produce additional reels, so even if something happens to the original, you’ll have a backup ready to go. This process involves creating a print master reel, which can be used to make copies as needed. It’s a great option for historical archives or any records that need to be kept in physical form.
Option 2: Digitize Your Microfilm
Digitizing microfilm is another smart way to keep your records safe. Professional microfilm scanning services like those provided by SecureScan can help you convert film images into high-resolution digital files, making them much easier to access, search, store, and share. Plus, having a digital backup means you won’t have to worry about storage conditions or natural disasters.
Digitizing your microfilm has a lot of benefits:
- It helps prevent data loss by allowing you to create multiple backup copies.
- It makes your records easier to access.
- It keeps your original microfilm in better shape by reducing the need for handling it.
- It adds an extra layer of security to your film by giving you the option to store files off-site or in the cloud.
Many people choose to digitize their microfilm while keeping the originals in storage. This way, they can protect the physical records while making the information easier to find and use.
Why You Should Digitize Your Microfilm Before Damage Occurs
If microfilm has already begun to deteriorate, digitization may be the only way to salvage the remaining information. However, the quality of a scanned image is only as good as the condition of the original film allows, meaning if the film is faded, scratched, or damaged, the resulting digital files will reflect that.
To avoid losing valuable information, it’s best to digitize microfilm preemptively, before signs of deterioration appear.
How to Recognize Microfilm Deterioration
The lifespan of microfilm depends largely on the type of film base used during production. Modern microfilm is made with a polyester base, which is highly durable and chemically stable. It resists tearing and holds up well even in less-than-ideal storage conditions. Most microfilm produced after the mid-1980s falls into this category.
Older microfilm, particularly from the 1950s to the early 1980s, is often acetate-based. Acetate microfilm can last up to 100 years with proper storage, but it is much more sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. When exposed to too much moisture, acetate film starts to degrade, releasing acetic acid, a process known as “vinegar syndrome”.
Signs of Vinegar Syndrome
One of the first signs that acetate film is starting to deteriorate is a strong vinegar-like smell. That odor comes from acetic acid, which is released as the film breaks down, which is where vinegar syndrome gets it’s name. Once the process starts, the acetate base begins to shrink and curl, which distorts the image layer. As it gets worse, the film can turn brittle and eventually become completely unusable.
The worst part of vinegar syndrome is that it spreads. The acid vapors released during the breakdown speed up deterioration in nearby film as well. That’s why it’s important to store affected reels separately and check up on your collection regularly.
A-D strips are also very useful tool for this. They react to acidity levels and give you a way to spot early signs of vinegar syndrome before the damage becomes severe. While cold storage can help slow the process down, it’s not always a practical option.
Other Signs of Film Breakdown
Vinegar syndrome isn’t the only thing to watch out for. As film starts to break down, there are a few other signs that can indicate damage is setting in:
- Brittleness: As acetate film gets older, it can become fragile and may crack or crumble when handled. At that point, it’s often too late to recover much from it.
- Warping and curling: When the film base shrinks, the roll may start to curl, making it difficult to properly load into a reader or scanner.
- Sticky or bubbling emulsion: If the image layer starts to separate from the base, you might see bubbling, stickiness, or distortion in the visuals.
What About Older Film?
If your microfilm dates back to before the 1950s, there’s a good chance it was made using a cellulose nitrate base. Nitrate film was one of the earliest types used, but it was eventually phased out because of how unstable it is. It breaks down quickly and, even more concerning, it’s highly flammable, which makes safe storage and preservation much more difficult.
If you think you might have nitrate film in your collection, it’s important to digitize it as soon as possible. This not only protects the information it holds but also eliminates the risks that come with keeping it in storage.
In general, digitizing aging film is one of the best ways to make sure that your records are preserved long-term. If you’re noticing signs of deterioration, or even just want peace of mind, it’s definitely a good idea to scan it before the condition gets any worse.
Wrapping Up
With the right care, microfilm can stay in excellent condition for decades. But if you’re ready to free up storage space, improve access to your records, or create a reliable digital backup, we’re here to help.
Our team brings over 22 years of microfilm scanning experience, delivering secure, high-quality digital conversions at a reasonable price. We can scan microfilm in any format, including 16mm, 35mm, and 105mm, and convert it into the digital file types that work best for you.
If you have questions about our services or want to get started, contact Us today or request a free quote from one of our scanning technicians.
