We hold microform versions of archival collections, books, manuscripts, government documents, journals, newspapers,  and more. 

Microform viewers are available to read, scan and save digital versions of content.  

To find microform, search the UCR catalog for specific titles or collections, such as:

"The Papers of John Peabody Harrington in the Smithsonian Institution, 1907-1957" or  "Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Daily Report"

You can also add the keywords “microfilm” or “microform” to your search. Some works are not individually cataloged but are included within microform collections and require collection guides to identify relevant titles to one’s area of research.

Major Microform Collections

• Primary Source Microfilm - includes scholarly resources, Saur and research publications
• Library of Congress, Guide to Microform Collections, Humanities & Social Sciences
• Adam Matthew Publications Full-Text Guides
• University Publications of America

Many notable microform collections, such as the American Periodical Series, Early American Imprints, and Early English Books, 1475-1700 have been digitized. 

Some digitized collections have been cataloged and can be discovered through the UCR Catalog or the Melvyl Catalog. Other digitized collections might be discovered online searching the Internet. e.g., The John Peabody Harrington collection is now available online through the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.  

Format Descriptions

• Microfilm
  35mm film on reels. Newspapers, some large sets of rare books, some magazines and other materials are on microfilm.
• Microfiche
  4 by 6 inch or 3 by 5 inch film sheets. Each sheet holds 40 to 98 pages. Most technical reports, government documents, and dissertations are in microfiche.
• Microcard
  3 by 5 inch opaque card. These are often used for technical reports and some collections of rare materials.
• Microprint
  6 by 9 inch opaque sheet. Many older collections of rare books and government documents are in microprint.