[Genealib] remote access to microfilm

[Brannan, Joyce A.]

These machines would, obviously, have to be connected to a computer.
Wouldn't it make more sense to digitize films, by request or as time
allows, and then charge accordingly?  We purchased a reader that can be
connected to a computer.  We use student workers to scan the films into
a computer database as needed.  They do take up a lot of server space,
but the images don't have to stay there.  They can be loaded onto a CD
and put back on the server as needed.  

I could see fragile film breaking on an automatic machine if someone is
actually controlling it remotely.  Or any film on any machine for that
matter.  The automatic machine is automatically making the computer
digital images, so why not just save them?  Then we would have one
digital copy for patron use and store our precious original microfilms.
Makes sense to me. 

Joyce Adams Brannan
Technical Services Librarian
Julia Tutwiler Library, Station 12
University of West Alabama
(205) 652-3677
jbrannan at uwa.edu
 
-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of lapiubella1
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 4:19 PM
To: Librarians Serving Genealogists
Subject: Re: [Genealib] remote access to microfilm

I agree the remote access feature is interesting. I also have
reservations 
as to how it would work in the "real world". I work at a small community

library which has currently only two microfilm machines. We can justify
the 
presence of these two by tracking the usage by our onsite patrons. We
could 
not afford more machines, both in cost or the footprint of space needed
to 
keep them. But even in a large library, with many machines, and
therefore 
the patrons to justify them, why would you "tie up" one for someone at a

remote location? Also, in our library, our machines are a source of
revenue 
to us, as we charge for any prints done from them. Does your library 
envision some sort of revenue from offering this service? How, by the
hour, 
and by credit card? Of course thats a moot point if you offer free
access to 
your patrons.
On the "little levity" side of it...won't it look spooky to a patron not
"in 
the know" to see the machine buzzing forward and reverse as the remote 
patron views his images? You could have some fun with that!!! Then what 
happens when the remote patron accidentally runs off the end of the 
reel?Bella

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Naukam" <lnaukam at mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us>
To: <genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 4:59 PM
Subject: [Genealib] remote access to microfilm


>I looked at the web page, and the concept is neat. However, I cannot
ever
> fathom having enough staff and time to do that as well as handle the 
> normal
> influx of patrons.
>
> Just because it is possible to do something doesn't mean you should.
>
> And practical politics means that local users come first, rather than
> distant ones. Locals come first in the eyes of the politicians who
control
> our budget. E.g. - what if any user wants to do research after the
library
> is closed? It must be promulgated that the service is only available 
> during
> certain hours, which, in a way, is obvious - but we make our indexes,
> Heritage Quest, city directories etc available 7-24-365 without having
to
> staff them.
>
> So I guess that I am underwhelmed by the opportunity to do this.
>
>
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