The DCA is the steward of the University's permanently valuable records and collections created in any format, ensuring their permanent preservation and accessibility.
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Many departments and programs either digitize or microfilm their paper records to save space, increase access, and reduce retrieval time, or create back-up copies.
Microfilming
Microfilming is a compact way to manage and store long-term records. Because people only need a light source and a magnifying glass to read microfilm, the format avoids the technological obsolesce problems that electronic records and digitized documents face.
If a department or office uses high quality microfilm, stores them in a stable and secure environment, and keeps track of them, microfilm can easily last well over 100 years.
Microfilm is ideally suited for serving as back-up copies for records that require permanent or long-term retention. However, most archival records transferred to the Digital Collections and Archives do not require microfilming. In some circumstances, it is an appropriate strategy to microfilm records and destroy the originals.
Digital Imaging
Digital imaging is a way to convert paper records to digital files. This process can drastically reduce storage costs by ending the need to store the paper records that have been digitized. The process can also dramatically improve retrieval efficiency by enabling searching capabilities that are not possible in a paper environment.
Digital imaging is ideal for records that would take up an extensive amount of space in paper form and require regular and rapid retrieval.
If an office is considering microfilming or digitizing records, please contact Eliot Wilczek, University Records Manager, at eliot.wilczek@tufts.edu or 6-2439. Please also contact the Purchasing Department for assistance in selecting an imaging or microfilm vendor.