Changing with the times

When I started as a librarian at State Library of Queensland, I was so excited to use the old microfilm viewers. The edge of the level 3 computer area was lined with old Minoltas, MS7000 MKIIs to be exact. They have large controllers to rotate the image and to move the pages forwards and backwards. If the machine errors, the sole solution has been dubbed by one of our teammates, Jennie, as ‘the claw’ (you must hold all four buttons, basically the only four buttons, down for a minute to reset the machine). One still must slide the focus lens into place, and the image appears dated and soft-edged in a way that I absolutely love. Before the Minoltas were the Gideons, and using these feels a little bit like playing an old arcade game. You wind on the film, switch on the lens and lean into the booth to witness the magic. Just like a video game, you button mash (but gently please) until you find what you’re looking for. 

I recently picked the brain of Kirsten, who started working at State Library about 20 years ago. She is a Senior Library Technician and is the microfilm whisperer. When Kirsten started at State Library, our current building was undergoing significant redevelopment and, in the interim, our family history services were redirected to Cannon Hill. At a time when enquiries were still sent by fax, and before one knew the sweet satisfaction of finding what you’re looking for in an historical newspaper with ctrl f, clients would line up to use the film viewers. 

The reading room was filled with these machines. There were approximately 14 Minoltas and half a dozen Gideons. They were so popular that people would call ahead, they’d write their name down to join the queue, and each had a strict one-hour-per-use policy. Every second machine was connected to a printer. This was at a time when we couldn’t screenshot, save photos to a USB or take photos with a phone, so clients had to be thoughtful with what they chose to copy and print. Each copy was $1.10 a pop. 

Microfilm has long been an extremely useful solution to combatting document degradation, damage and storage constraints. Anyone who has a meaningful square of an old newspaper folded in a discarded box somewhere would know just how quickly they can deteriorate. Saving things like newspapers to film was considered universally urgent to ensure the information could meet future readers. The origins of microfilm date back to the early 1920s, but by the 1970s technology meant that microfilm was widely used across many organisations, including libraries. While the film does degrade, it does this at a much slower rate. This degradation is something we’re constantly considering and combatting at State Library. We continue to rely heavily on this film and fiche material. Large spans of things like newspapers, electoral rolls, shipping indexes and church records are still solely immortalised in this format.

Over the years, our microfilm machines have been upgraded and replaced alongside industry standards. Not long after Kirsten and our family history services returned back to the South Bank building, new Minoltas were installed, connecting directly to a computer. For the first time clients could take digital scans and save files to an external disc, without a cost! These machines have diligently sat on the floor assisting our community in their research endeavours, and we’ve watched as their numbers have slowly dwindled. 

Though I’ve heard stories of an old technician, cloaked in a jacket with a million pockets holding bulbs and screws and tape, I never got to bear witness. Now the Minoltas and the Gideon machines are no longer serviceable, the bulbs no longer replaceable, and the number of working machines has dropped to one (on a good day). We have thought the day would come for them several times now, and Kirsten has managed to breathe some more life into them. But like all good things, it’s time to say goodbye. 

While these older machines have been slowly winding down, we have continued to watch our technology evolve. ST ViewScans are widely considered the best in the business. They’re less noisy, don’t overheat and are inarguably more effective as a research comrade. If you’re thinking about delving into your own family history and planning to make the journey to view microfilm materials, we look forward to stepping you through how to use these machines. If you’ve ever sent us an Ask a Librarian enquiry searching for a published death notice or an old newspaper image, you best believe we would have used the ViewScans. We’re lucky to currently have 8 of these in our reading room, and we see their value every day. 

Nevertheless, our old machines have a special place in many hearts. On 2 November, we moved these machines to their final resting place. As the space completes another metamorphosis, we would like to thank the old soldiers for their service. If you have a fond memory of libraries of yesteryear, we would love to hear it! Please share them below. 

Do you have a research question you’d like us to help with? Submit an enquiry via our Ask a Librarian service or visit the team onsite at State Library.