Storage of big library stocks on microfllm

Abstract

It is a well known fact that most of the libraries are suffering from stack shortage. Many ideas were born for its easing; the most suitable of all these considerations is the storage on microfllm. Microfilm techniques made a great progress in the last decade, so - breaking off with disadvantages - the microfllm seems to be suitable for preservation and storage of big library collections.
Possibilities of storage on microfilm are examined on the example of a 40.000 volumes library. It is proved that costs of conventional and microfilm storage are not substantially different. Moreover very big savings in stack-rooms are attainable, not mentioning other aspects in favour of microfilm.
The microfilm - in spite of some minor drawbacks - means the way of development. In big libraries this trend is unavoidable because of the large-scale expansion of stock and its stack needs.