A slideshow on how to use the Microfilm machine at the library.

1. A Tech Tools Project by
Sara Denhart

2. A film on which printed materials are
photographed for the ease of storage.
 Microfilm has a life expectancy of up to
500 years.

3.  Common printed materials found on Microfilm are:
 Back issues or archival copies of newspapers
 The Federal Census from 1790 to 1930 (the Census
for 1940 will be released to the public on April 2)
 Municipal records
 Marriage applications
 Birth records
 Death records
 Church records of baptisms, marriages and death
 Military pensioner records, service records and draft
cards
 Other historical and genealogical records.

4.  Locate the Microfilm reel, you would like to
view on the open Microfilm Reader
 At the Scott County Public Library, all of
the Microfilm the library offers is in this
cabinet, located next to the Microfilm
Reader
 The Microfilm cabinet and reader are
located near the circulation desk in the
local genealogical section.

5.  Use the corresponding labels on the cabinet
to navigate through the drawers to find what
you are looking for.
 The library offers federal Census data from
the county and from other heritage-related
states, like Virginia and West Virginia.
 Once you have figured out what you records
you would like to review, then open the
drawer to locate a specific reel to see.

6.  Select a box, which is labeled on the
outside what is on the reel, to review.
 Sit down at the Microfilm Reader.
 Turn on the Microfilm Reader.
• The power button is located on the right hand side
of the machine
 Pull
the equipment under the screen
toward you to begin the feeding process.

8.  Open the Microfilm reel box and remove the
film reel.
 Take the Microfilm reel and place it in the
correct direction
 The direction is noted on the supply diagram
located on the machine near the supply reel.
 The supply is the far left of the machine and
the take-up is on the far right.
 Use the hole in the center of the reel and push
it into the supply spool until it locks into place.

9. Film fed
as
diagram
specified
Supply
spool
Microfilm
reel
Supply reel
knob

10.  Pull the film from the supply reel and feed it
under the white guide.
 Then, feed the film through the glass film
chute by pulling it forward and guide the
film through it to the take-up spool.
 Continue to thread the film through the
chute, under the other white guide near the
take-up and to the take-up spool.

11. Take-up reel
and spool area
White guide
by take-up
Microfilm
Film
chute
White
guide

12.  Insert end of film into the take-up reel, so
the film can wrap around the reel via the
movement of the spool.
 To move the spool forward, use the take-
up reel knob clockwise.
• This will tighten the film around the take-up reel.
• The take-up reel should not be removed.
 After tightening the film to the take-up
reel, push the equipment back to lens, so
the film can be viewed on the screen.

13. Take-up
reel knob
Lens
Push the handle
toward lens.

14.  Use the digital tuning buttons to move the
film backward and forward quickly.
 To move the film slowly, use the tuning
knobs at each end of the reels.
 After moving the film forward to an image
to view, use the focus, orientation, and
zoom rings.
• They are located on the outside of the lens to see
the image clearly and in best condition for
printing, if necessary.

15. Fast
Fast Rewind Forward
forward
rewind

16. Orientation
ring
Focus
ring Lens
Zoom
ring