[Genealib] Re: Looking to the Future

[David Hardin]

Dick has a strong stance on the issue of microfilm as an obsolete
format.

 

BUT, he also will warn you of the danger of not properly backing up
electronic data.

 

Personally, it is this issue that will keep me purchasing relevant
microfilm for the foreseeable future.  No offense to Claire or anyone
else in the business of Government (including myself), but I do not
trust these owning institutions to always make proper decisions
concerning preservation--note the 1890 and 1910 census, nearly
completely destroyed in the first case (the fate is too sad to repeat
here; see "First in the Path of the Firemen"

The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 1 By Kellee Blake at
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/spring/1890-census-1.
html) and the poorest quality microfilm of any census in the second (the
original being destroyed after the filming).  Claire, correct me if any
of that is incorrect.

 

David Allan Hardin, MSLIS  

Genealogy Librarian Supervisor

Plano Public Library System

2501 Coit Road

Plano, Texas  75075

972.769.4443

davidhar at plano.gov

 

-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Drew Smith
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 8:52 AM
To: Librarians Serving Genealogists
Subject: Re: [Genealib] Re: Looking to the Future

 

On Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Beth Oljace <boljace at and.lib.in.us>
wrote:

> Dick Eastman can jabber all he wants about the death of microfilm...

 

Beth, I think it's unfair to characterize Dick's position on this

issue as "jabbering".  Let's look at some specific points he has

recently made:

 

"However, the creation of new microfilms has now almost stopped...

FamilySearch, the genealogy operation sponsored by the Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) has now almost ceased

sending cameras out to create new microfilms. FamilySearch has issued

numerous reports in the past few years about the organization's

conversion to all digital formats.  The U.S. National Archives now

makes almost no new microfilms. In fact, NARA is working with

Footnote.com and other contractors to issue all new products in

digital formats, not as microfilm."

 

Now, are you disputing those specific statements of his?  If not,

where exactly is the "jabbering"?

 

Drew Smith

Tampa, FL

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