The Microform Area is located on the second
floor of the University Library in Kingston, just outside the
Media Resource Center.
(Government publications and technical reports on microform are located on the first floor of
the University Library.) Materials on microform and equipment for reading and printing
microforms are also available at the URI Providence Campus Library and the Pell Marine
Science Library.
Selected back issues of some journals and newspapers,
dissertations, and books are on microform. Equipment for reading and copying these
microforms is also located in the Microforms Area.
Hours
The Microform Area is open during normal
Library hours.
Types of microforms
Microform is a generic term for any medium
— transparent or opaque — bearing reduced-size images of pages from paper copy.
There are three major types:
- Microfilm: film bound on a reel
bearing a number of microimages in linear array
- Microfiche: card-sized sheets of
film bearing a number of microimages in a two-dimensional array
- Microprint: microimages printed on
photographic paper
Major microform collections
Besides back issues of periodicals, the
Library holds a number of major microform collections. So of these titles
include:
- American Culture Series
- American Prose Fiction
- British Sessional Papers
- Early English Books (Pollard’s)
- Resources in Education (ERIC documents)
- Landmarks of Science
- Early British Books (Wing’s)
How to use microform
- Microform material is listed in the HELIN library catalog
with one of the following abbreviations in place of a call number: MFICHE, MFILM, or MPRINT.
- Once you have determined that the material
you need is in microform format, consult the item record to find the
location and section. MFILM are sections 1 through 4. Section
1 Newspapers, Section 2 Periodicals, Section 3 Special Collections, and
Section 4 Theses and Dissertations. MFICHE and MPRINT are in
sections 5 through 7. All items are filed in alphabetical order by
title of the publication for periodicals, or by author for books and
dissertations.
- Retrieve the needed reel(s) of film and/or sheet(s) of
microfiche and take to a reader/printer.
- When you are finished, please do not refile any material
— place the material in the return boxes.
Equipment
Special equipment must be used for reading or
copying microforms. Coin and card operated self-service copy machines are available in the
Microforms Area. The cost for printing is 10 cents per page.
Assistance
Library staff and student assistants working
in the Media Resource Center are available to help you locate microforms and operate
readers and printers. Please ask for assistance at the Circulation Desk if the Media
Resource Center is closed.
Contact information
For more information about microforms, please
contact Eileen Tierney, the Head of the Media Resource Center. Eileen can be reached by
e-mail at eileent@uri.edu or by telephone at (401)
874-4267. |
