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Chapter V: Micrographics

USE OF MICROFILM IN THE SENATE

The Sergeant-at-Arms provides microform services to the Senate through the Micrographics Section, Reprographics Division, Service Department. These services are available to Senate offices that need to achieve better physical management of large volumes of paperwork and who wish to preserve historical records. Microfilm is used to improve files management by reducing the size of the permanent collection, by facilitating handling and reproduction, and by creating a bound order for better control and security. Archival quality microfilm can be used to preserve information stored on a less permanent medium, such as newspaper clippings, and to maintain a duplicate security copy of important files.

Specifically, Senate offices can use microfilm to save filing space in the office, to control files of excessive volume, to duplicate field office files for use in the central offices, to provide immediate access to paper files stored in off-site locations, and to eliminate bulky computer printouts of newsletter lists and indexes. Historically valuable files, such as old campaign files, may be too fragile to use or even photocopy in paper form. Access to these records can be facilitated through the use of microfilm and the creation of proper indexes to the microfilmed records.

Microfilm Is Not A Panacea

Micrographics can be used to solve some paperwork problems, but not all. It cannot replace the implementation of a comprehensive office filing plan. that defines the type of files to be kept by an office and delegates responsibility for maintaining them. By itself, it will not speed up office paper flow, eliminate the need for a file clerk, or end the necessity for searching files. Moreover, documents reproduced on microfilm do not lend themselves to annotation or updating.

Staff Responsibilities

A successful microfilm system requires an index and the preparation of an index requires staff effort. Staff must have time to prepare documents for filing including arrangement of files, preparation of adequate descriptors and targets, and disposal of duplicates and useless reference material. Specifically, a staff member must be assigned responsibility for overseeing the conversion, indexing, and subsequent day-to-day tasks. The office must determine what amount of resources can be allocated to the project to ensure that information can be found easily when it is needed.

PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS FOR FILMING

Advice on physical preparations necessary to ensure smooth filming is available from the Micrographics Section together with advice on appropriate indexes for specific types of files. An appointment should be made with the supervisor of the Micrographics Section to plan the conversion and to design operating procedures. Generally, these steps are necessary to prepare files:

(1) Arrange the file series in strict order, either numerical, chronological, or alphabetical. Refile any records that are misfiled.

(2) Remove and discard duplicates, reference material, and envelopes.

(3) Discard all newspaper clippings attached to constituent mail, unless their content cannot be understood from the constituent letter.

(4) Perform the following preparatory steps:

-Include paper in a file the same general size (the maximum size that can be filmed is 111⁄2 X 18 inches).

-Face all documents in one direction, making sure that any document numbers appear on the first sheet of each individual file.

-Remove staples and paper clips.

-Straighten folds and flatten wrinkles.
-Mend tears with transparent tape.

-Cross-out writing on the reverse side of any
document that you do not wish microfilmed.
-Mount on carrier sheets those pieces smaller
than 3 x 5 inch cards as well as all newspaper
clippings.

-Remove binding from material which is bound. (5) If the senator and repository archivist have deter

mined that any of the files scheduled to be microfilmed are of historical research value in paper form (i.e. letters signed by the president, congressmen, cabinet members, governors, state legislators, famous people, important correspondence), remove the items and replace them with an electrostatic copy.

Write the file number in pencil on the back of the originals and file them in numerical or chronological order in a specially created file entitled "Historical Letters Worth Saving-date." This special file should be forwarded to storage or the selected repository for safekeeping.

(6) Prepare a title page and insert it to be filmed as the first frame. Typed on a sheet of plain paper, it should include the title of the file, the type of records, and the inclusive dates.

(7) If your office uses an indexing system (such as AIS), and if the files have been indexed, a copy of the index should be microfilmed as well. The index should be in the same order as the files, such as in document number order, date order, name order, etc.

(8) Prepare target sheets-inserts that identify briefly the sequence of records that follows. They can include inclusive dates, inclusive numbers, or a portion of the alphabet. File at appropriate places in the file (i.e. the beginning of each individual file folder, or at predetermined intervals, such as every fifty letters, etc.).

(9) Determine the type and degree of indexing required to locate material on each roll of film. (See section on indexing in this chapter.)

(10) Forward material to the micrographics section for filming.

(11) When microfilm is received, check for completeness and accuracy.

(12) Disposition of paper files that are microfilmed. should follow suggestions stated in Chapter II. It is also advisable to consult with the respository archivist.

WHAT TO MICROFILM

Microfilm storage and retrieval are most efficient when records have a high reference activity and users need immediate access to an entire records collection. Microfilming should be done when all files in a series are completed because an incomplete file

tends to be of less research value. Factors determining the effectiveness of microfilming include:

The information will be used by the office or repository staff in the future.

The information is needed at a single location where there is a high reference rate, or at numerous locations having a moderate to low reference rate.

The existing paper system cannot meet user requirements for information as effectively as a microfilm system.

Microfilming Automated Files

Recommendations for microfilming automated files can be found in Chapter III in the section covering Senate Computer Center systems.

Microfilming Paper Files

The types of files listed below have the potential, depending on the use made of the file in an individual office, of meeting at least two of the criteria for effective microfilming. In none of the cases listed should the paper files be destroyed without first discussing their ultimate disposition with the senator and repository archivist, if a repository has been selected. It is important not to destroy any papers of historic value.

Congressional Record Inserts (The paper is of poor quality; microfilm will last longer.) Job Recommendations (To retain for administrative use, but dispose of the originals.) Campaign Files (Some of the items may be on paper of poor quality, and there may be a need to ensure that this sometimes illusive file is preserved intact for future use.)

Constituent Correspondence or Issue Mail (To reduce bulk.)

Casework (To reduce bulk.)

Grants and Projects (To reduce bulk.)

Speeches (To ensure that the file is preserved intact.)

Press Releases (To ensure that the file is preserved intact.)

Newletters and Columns (To ensure that the file is preserved intact.)

Newspaper Clippings (The paper is of poor quality; microfilm will last longer.)

State Office Constitutent Correspondence and Casework (This can be forwarded to Washington to be microfilmed.)

Besides the above listed files, an office may wish to microfilm legislative assistants', administrative assistants' or key staff project files to ensure that a complete set of such files are retained as part of the senator's collection.

INDEXING OF MICROFILM

A microfilm system is only as useful as its index. Retrieving microfilmed documents can be done more expeditiously and accurately by preparing an index to the film. The order of the index should follow the order of the microfilmed files, either chronological, numerical, or alphabetical.

All microfilm is produced with a "blip code" and microfilm number, which are assigned to each page being filmed. The number can be used by staff to prepare detailed indexes which reference every page or to indicate target points on the film which specify certain documents.

There are three types of indexing techniques from which to choose:

Internal-An index to the documents is prepared and after the documents are filmed, the frame numbers are added to the index entry. The index pages then are filmed and either spliced to the "head" end of the film or filmed on a separate index cassette or cartridge.

External-Index entries are prepared on index cards or in a log book. Microfilm roll and frame numbers are added to the index after the documents are filmed. (While this format can be most convenient for research use, it is recommended that such an index also be microfilmed, and a copy kept with the film.)

Automated-The Automated Indexing System (AIS) is used to produce indexes, usually for material generated by The Correspondence Management System (CMS). (For a discussion of these systems see Chapter III, Automated Records.) Indexes in a variety of formats may be obtained on computer output microfilm (COM) or a regular printout. If COM is selected by an office, it is necessary to request an index that is arranged in the same order that the files are arranged because microfilm frame numbers cannot practically be added to a COM index. If printouts of an index are ordered, it is possible to enter the roll and frame numbers onto the printout, and have the printout filmed as a security copy.

ARCHIVAL STORAGE REQUIREMENTS

Microfilm production at the Micrographics Center includes the production of a master silver halide negative that is processed according to archival standards and is stored at the Center until the end of each senatorial term at which time it is returned to the member's office. The silver negative should not be used for reference in an office and it must be stored under archival conditions. (Relative humidity of 20 to 40 percent and temperature not to exceed 70° F, with rapid changes of over 5 percent in a 24hour period being avoided.) Transfer to a designated repository is recommended. Temporary archival storage is also available at the Washington National Records Center. (See Chapter VIII.) The master negative should only be used to make a duplicate copy for reference use in the office or at the repository. Under no circumstances should archival master negatives be stored in attic lockers as excessive heat and humidity will cause permanent deterioration..

Senators may order as many diazo reference copies as they need. Some senators, for instance, have two copies made, one for their office and one for a repository or field office.

When ordering microfilm, staff should specify a reduction ratio of 24X whenever document size permits. Either 16mm cartridge or cassette is available.

INSPECTING THE MICROFILM

The Micrographics Section performs quality control on all of its products. However, each roll of microfilm should be carefully checked again by staff for any missing pages, for the sequence of documents, the legibility of each exposure, and the legibility of the index number assigned to each document. This is especially applicable if the senator, the repository archivist, and staff have decided to destroy the documents which have been filmed.

Chapter VI:

How to Create
Subject Files and
Subject Indexes

THE PURPOSE OF A SUBJECT FILE

Subject Files are set up in an office when staff
have a need to file or index records that document
administrative and legislative functions that are not
related to a specific piece of legislation, committee
assignment, constituent casework, or project. Gener-
ally, issue mail, campaign files, legislative and admin-
istrative assistant's files, staff project files, reference
files and certain press files are arranged or indexed
by subject.

The ability to distinguish between the type of docu-
ment which should be filed in a legislative or commit-
tee case file and a subject file is indispensible to any
good files operation. This becomes even more im-
portant in the automated office where outgoing cor-
respondence stored on magnetic media must be
consistently categorized and indexed for retrieval
purposes. While a subject file contains items that
document general planning and operations of an
office, a legislative "bill" file or committee case file
documents the member's and staff work on a specif-
ic piece of legislation or committee assignment.
Project work and constituent casework files likewise
contain documents relating to each specific case.
Issue mail, on the other hand, covers a wide variety
of topical issues and one letter can contain more
than one topic. Issue mail, traditionally, is either filed
and arranged by subject or is indexed by corre-
spondent and subject on an office automation
system.

SUBJECT INDEXES

A complete written list of topics that each office
expects to use in filing and indexing must be created
before the file is either set up in hard copy or is
stored on magnetic media. The list should include
codes for various file types such as casework, issue
mail, invitations, requests, projects, legislative assist-
ant memos, administrative memos, and so forth.

Specific subject categories should be selected and
arranged into a classification outline that includes

topics and subtopics. No one needs to be one hun-
dred percent perfect in preparing in advance all nec-
essary topics. A recordkeeper is sure to discover
some needed topics he or she did not foresee.
These, of course, can be added when they arise.

Useful reference guides for compiling a list of sub-
ject terms or an office thesaurus are the Legislative
Indexing Vocabulary: The CRS Thesaurus, 15th edi-
tion, and the companion microthesaurus, Congress
and Congressional Operations: An Alphabetical Mi-
crothesaurus of Terms Selected from the Legislative
Indexing Vocabulary, both compiled by Shirley Loo,
CRS Specialist in Information Control and Automated
Systems. These are available to staff from the Li-
brary Services Division, Congressional Research
Service, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20540.

STEPS TO CREATE A SUBJECT OUTLINE

1) List topics now used in the current office sub-
ject file, if there is one. If your office does not have
an older subject file, review correspondence that has
accumulated for the past month to ascertain the
subject categories and refer to the CRS thesaurus
previously cited.

2) Review your preliminary list to determine
whether there are sufficient topics to cover all of the
acitivities of the office. Be sure to delete from your
list any topics covering records no longer created.

3) Before inserting a new topic, a recordkeeper
should determine if the need really exists, or has a
usable topic been overlooked because it is ex-
pressed in unfamiliar wording.

4) Clear wording is essential for all subject topics.
Choose terms understandable to everyone using the
files. Terms should be as exclusive as possible, and
they should be precise to encourage filing at the
most specific level. In choosing the best term, keep
in mind: a) the way in which records are requested;
b) the breadth of the file content; and c) the need for
detail as governed by the volume of records.

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