There used to be a time when microfilms were the only option to store images, maps, schematics, and even blueprints for a long period of time. When microfilms were ruling the world, people didn’t have any other option that could offer the same level of longevity and reliability as microfilm.
One of the best things about microfilms was- they reduced documents on paper to a fraction of the size of the original and this is what allowed businesses and government bodies to store gigantic amounts of data without investing in large storage space. This is another reason why everyone accepted microfilms with alacrity.
In addition to this, microfilms have a longer lifespan than paper as they could last up to 500 years in pristine conditions. Furthermore, it was not easy to damage and it didn’t even deteriorate for a long period of time, making it the best way to preserve important data for a long period of time and that too without using a large space for storage.
But the influx of digital storage completely changed the game. Now, microfilms have become an outdated method of storing data as digital storage offers a long list of advantages that microfilms lack.
So, if you are still in doubt about whether to get your microfilms scanned and transformed into digital files or not, here are 5 good reasons to do so.
Easy storage
One of the main reasons why microfilms gained popularity is they allowed people to store thousands of images and gigantic amounts of data in a small space. Just a single microfilm was able to store more than 2500 images which otherwise would have taken the space of an entire cabinet.
But apart from the space, there is nothing advantageous when it comes to storing microfilms. You need to have a temperature-controlled room and you must ensure that no external factors like high acidity level enters the room and damages the 16mm microfilm.
On the other hand, when digitized the same data that once used to be present on microfilms can be stored in a huge amount on a single hard drive, and then further it can be transferred to the cloud platform for better accessibility and easy replication.
Save money
The epiphany that you can actually save money by choosing microfilm scanning services will just take a couple of minutes after the digital documents have been handed over to you. You must have heard everyone saying ‘time is money’ and the same goes in this case as well.
Finding a single image or text or number from an archive of billions of files is just a matter of a couple of seconds when you are using digital files. There is no need to dig into huge piles of boxes and go through every microfilm to find what you need and this is how you save time by choosing microfilm scanning services.
In the last couple of years, digital storage has become easily affordable as well. There are many cloud-based solutions like Google and Amazon that offer a vast amount of cloud storage space at pocket-friendly prices.
Improve operational efficiency
One of the best things about the digitization of microfilms is after digitization, you get immediate access to a lexicon of files on your computer. This helps you to quickly respond to the queries of your client and thus your clients are more satisfied with your work and response time.
Furthermore, when you digitize a 16mm microfilm, you get the option to upload it on the cloud platform, and thus, it becomes accessible to download and view by different people who have the authorization. This makes you more effective and helps you to get rid of the time wasted in sending the files back and forth.
Preserve the quality of your documents
If you have never dealt with microfilms before, you will be surprised to know that microfilms can be damaged even while being viewed. Over time, microfilms can become extremely brittle and this is what makes it difficult for the viewer to use them. Even the viewing equipment used to see a 35mm microfilm can scratch the film if even a single particle gets trapped in the machine.
All this means that it is a daunting task to preserve the original quality of your document if stored in microfilms. But that is not the case with digital documents. Doesn’t matter who accesses it, how it is used, or how many times you open it, it will remain in its pristine condition for eternity.
All of this clearly shows the importance of digitizing your microfilms without any delay. Right from storage to handling, everything related to microfilms is challenging and it increases the chances of losing important information. So choose a good microfilm scanning service and get your microfilms digitized.
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