P.O. Box 2154 / Grand Central Station / New York City, New York /1 0 0 1 7 / Tel: (212) MU 7-0890
October 1969 HORATIO ALGER? Little-heralded Microfilm Unlimited has entered agreement with well-known Thomas Publishing (Thomas Register) to acquire two of Thomas' five information retrieval systems-- Thomas Micro-Catalogs and TMC, New company, Micro-Publishing Systems, Inc., will index, distribute and market. VP Jack Smith, former Thomas publishing mgr., heads operation. EUROPEAN REVIEW: Microfilm On The Move. Record attendance at 3rd International Micrographic Congress (Frankfurt, Sept.24-26) tops 1,000, more than triple 1967 show; 27 exhibitors; standing room only at 3-language (English, French, German) simultaneous translation seminars.... no revolutionary products shown but great interest displayed in lines new to Europe. Heinz, Zeutschel & Geratebau intro duce Itek's document-size reader-printer (8^x11/11x17) for fiche, ultrafiche or rollfilm which uses Itek RS paper to produce line copy and continuous tone en largements. Also new Itek RS duplicating film for recording pictorial informa tion in extreme reduction. Products to be tested in Europe, later introduced in U.S. Bayerische shows Dietzgen roll and cartridge reader previously seen only at NMA....microfiche gets big play.... films and literature on COM introduce sys tems to many European visitors, whet their interest.... overall impression of U.S. visitors: Germans far ahead in systems development while most others still con centrate on individual products; tremendous potential in continental market, more than 957o of potential users untapped. Seek U.S. distributors. Hottest item, Microbox continuous EDP printout camera that has built-in processing device and viewing device to check film quality, snapped up by Computer Output Systems for U.S. distribution. To be shown at Joint Computer Show (see page 3). COS now has complete Microbox line in U.S. Other European mfrs. also seek U.S. distribution-- Eichner for aperture and fiche card file system; Michael Maul for automatic desktop sorters and coll ators (fiche and cards); Proti, Noxa and Alos for new reader lines; Oude Delft for Filmdata bank, storage and retrieval system. Something to think about. Microfiche Foundation (Netherlands) offers single source of data on fiche equipment, standards, applications to users anywhere. Non-profit foundation housed within Delft Technological University keeps perma nent display of readers for visitors, operates information bureau, maintains cor respondents around globe. Annual membership (bargain at $7.50) brings quarterly newsletter and other publications. Example: Microfiche Equipment, pocket-sized digest of worldwide equipment, now in second edition. Foundation takes lead on CONTENTS Ultrafiche Publishing.............. 4 Thomas Micro-Catalogs Sold...........1 Magazine Digest.....................4 European Review...................... 1 Trends.............................. 4 Inti Micro Congress Highlights...... 1 Microdots (industry notes)......... 5 Associations......................... 2 The Urge to Merge...................5 A New Microfilm Industry Survey..... 3 Selected Microfilm Stocks...........6 COM Developments..................... 3 N o t to be reprod uced w ith o u t th e perm ission o f T h e M ic ro film N e w s le tte r, In c .
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many fronts to advance use of fiche. In 1969 worked with Xerox/University Microfilms to set up European counterpart of Disseration Abstracts. No U.S. equivalent to Foundation exists, sorely needed. Why not get industry collab oration to create comparable research facility at U.S. university or tech school? Ultrafiche's continental debut. First NCR-PCMI production facility outside U.S. opens in Giessen, Germany. Investment $500,000. Daily production capacity 4,000 PCMI items or 12 million pages. Users include Ford (spare parts catalog), Sears (mail order catalogs), and Financial Times (technical literature). Britain's Office for Scientific and Technical Information announces pilot program for publication of supporting data (tables, graphs, references, computer printouts) to articles published in scientific and technical journals. Data on microfilm. Project similar to U.S. program operated by American Society for Information Science. National Lending Library (UK) will coordinate. Rise in published research articles makes project a must. ASSOCIATIONS: Microfilm interest grows geometrically among records, systems, business, education groups, on local as well as national level. Examples: No. Ohio chapter, American Society for Information Sciences joins with Center for Documentation and Commmunication Research (Case Western Reserve U.) and Techni cal Services group (Cleveland State U.) to hold 2-day conference on "Microforms, the Now Happening"... .upcoming is conference on image storage and transmission systems for industrial libraries scheduled by National Bureau of Standards, Dec. 1-3, Gaithersburg, M d . Major portion of agenda devoted to microfilm topics-COSATI, microimage storage, film transmission systerns.... Richmond (Va.)chapter American Records Management Association sets 1-day (Nov.25) exhibition of micro products and services for mid-south records managers.... one notable exception to trend is Business Equipment Manufacturers Association convention. Listed only one microfilm topic on program. Curious omission in light of growing interest by businessmen, office managers. Should be reviewed for 1970 program. Need for speakers. Local groups--particularly NMA, ARMA, AREA chapters-seek knowledgeable speakers. MN willing to put together microfilm marketing execs interesting in speaking with groups seeking speakers. Send resume of talk, list of cities available for. Warning: spice talk with visuals. Nothing as deadly to lay audiences as non-illustrated technicalities. Conversely, simple slides--overhead projection units take almost any material--help make subject quickly comprehensible. MN recently gave such slide presentation on microforms and microfilm market before uninitiated Wall St. group. Visuals biggest hit with financiers. National Microfilm Association smartly restyles quarterly, renames it Journal of Micrographics . Dr. Vernon D. Tate, continues as editor.... space grows tight at 1970 convention (San Francisco, Apr.26-May 1). Exhibits chairman is Richard J. Moss 3M Co., 3M Center, St.Paul, Minn. 55101. 5
A MICROFILM NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBER BONUS A list of 19 associations interested in news about, or involved in micro film activities, is available free to subscribers. Send self-addressed, stamped envelope to THE MICROFILM NEWSLETTER, PO Box 2154, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017. Ask for microfilm associations list.
SURVEYING MICROFILM: Latest group to tackle industry is The Research Group of Predicasts, Inc., Cleveland, 0. Newly-issued study ($200) covers commercial
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microfilm--equipment sales and services--but excludes in-house work not done for resale. Works on 1963 and 1968 data, projects to 1973 and 1978, concludes that micrographic revenues will more than quadruple in next decade. Offers individual analyses on engineering documentation, micropublishing, security microfilming, and microfilmed recordkeeping. Overall, a generally comprehensive compilation of industry data with a series if interesting, at times debatable, forecasts. A major problem with surveys on industry (which proliferate due to lack of authoritative industrywide data sources coupled with many companies' pressing "need to know") is reliability. Some are legitimate research efforts; others are quickie, cut-and-paste operations. Before subscribing, check knowledgeability of surveyors. Ask hard questions. Who are surveyors? Previous work? Microfilm know-how? How was survey run? Sources? What questions asked? Of whom? What is statistical base for any sampling? Standards of measurement? COM ROUNDUP: A Definitive Monograph. Fast-developing nature of field makes authoritative coverage difficult but Don M. Avedon achieves it in new booklet (NMA Informational Monograph No.4 "Computer Output Microfilm"). Within one set of covers, booklet provides general review of COM technology, state of the art summary, guide to recorders, directory of service companies, review of sample applications (J.C. Penney, Collins Radio, AT&T, others), results of NMA's sur vey of COM field, and glossary of related terms. To be published Nov.15. $10 to non-members, $7.50 to NMA members (NMA, 250 Prince George St., PO Box 386, Annapolis, M d . 21404). NMA devotes major attention to COM. Fall Journal summarizes survey of NMA members using COM, shows business applications 2-1 over scientific use, indicates user explosion (38% of current users plan to add more COM units within 2 years; hundreds more non-users plan to obtain COM units) with more than 1,000 COMs in use by end of 1970....NMA COM Standards Committee, chaired by Jacque Locke, Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., working on standard to be ready early in 1970. Has three sub-committees: Format; Quality; Glossary. All under direction of Dr. Carl E. Nelson, NMA Standards Board Chairman. New equipment. Largest display of COM and related equipment under one roof to date expected at Fall Joint Computer Conference (American Federation of In formation Processing Societies), Nov.18-20, Las Vegas. New products from new companies and from companies new to field, developed too late for exhibit space, may be unveiled informally....Stromberg DatagraphiX introduces what it claims is first automatic microfiche camera in a micromation system at BEMA exposition (NY Coliseum, Oct.27-31). Fiche are formatted and recorded automatically, up to four a minute, up to 224 images on 4x6" fiche.... other new products: from Memorex, 1603 Microfilm printer compatible with IBM System/360 Model 25 and above; from Inter face Science Corp., an off-line continuous reader-projector for several COM interface uses. The tail is nearly wagging the dog, 1970 NMA convention will have separate exhibit hotel locations for conventional microfilm equipment and for COM-related products. At presstime, 30 COM exhibitors signed, most ever, nearly as many as all non-COM areas combined, and more than grand total at earlier NMA conventions. User joins service ranks. McDonnell Automation, St.Louis div., McDonnell Douglas Corp., serves parent co. but now also offers use of 3M EBR COM recorder to ourside clients. Conceivable trend for service companies to watch. Service bureau/manufacturer list.
Additional copies of MN's lists of COM
-4recorder manufacturers and COM service bureaus, updated through Sept., are avail able free to subscribers. Specify COM list and self-addressed, stamped envelope to THE MICROFILM NEWSLETTER, PO Box 2154, Grand Central Station, N.Y., NY 10017. ULTRAFICHE PUBLISHING: ANSWER TO LIBRARIANS' LAMENTS? NCR's PCMI Library Informa tion System consists of five library collections in five subject areas-- 100 ultrafiche transparencies (700 books) to a collection, roughly seven books (3,200 pages)to transparency. Subscriber can buy all or individual collections, gets PCMI reader or reader/printer with 150X magnification. Charter subscribers (be fore Dec.31)to whole collection get extra reader, preferred delivery-- now esti mated April '70. Cost for complete package approximately $4,800, individual col lections approximately $1,000 each, readers and reader/printers $700 each. Works out to roughly $1.35 per book.... competitor, Encyclopaedia Britannica, plans comprehensive series of source and research materials. First series, "Library of American Civilization, Beginnings to 1914," due in Fall '70. At presstime, selection of supplier to produce fiche down to two choices. Sources close to EB hint new format may be used-- less reduction than PCMI but more than conventional microfiche-- that may have impact on industry. Sounds like long-suggested superfiche format (ratio between 50-100X). Microfilm Technology Primer on Scholarly Journals. Outstanding 32-page, ill. booket designed to fill gap in technical knowledge of librarians and information supervisors is available from Library Service Division, Princeton Microfilm Corp., Alexander Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540. Covers available equipment, systems, lit erature, "do-me-jiggers." Well-worth having. Free. MICROFILM IN MAGAZINES: A DIGEST OF WHO'S WRITING WHAT WHERE Business Automation (Sept.)Annual reference guide issue includes extensive coverage of microfilm equipment in nine directory listings: duplicators, readers and reader/printers, enlarger printers, COM equipment, microfilm-to-magnetic tape systems, automated film retrieval systems, high density film systems, cameras and processors. IMC Journal (Issue #8) Convention preview issue (see p.l), also features international product roundup, news of associations around the world. Information & Records Management (Aug-Sept) Illustrated explanation of NCR step-and-repeat microfiche system and interview with NMA prexy Karl Adams, Jr. on future of microfilm. Second "COM" supplement includes a COM dictionary, case study of E.F. Hutton, survey of COM impact on publishing, description of facsimileC0M tie-in, and new listings of available COM equipment. Journal of Micrographics (Fall)Includes analysis of NMA's membership survey on COM usage; technical piece on digital methods of microfilm communication and one on new method for residual thiosulfate analysis; historical recap of wartime microfilming activities of OSS in China Theater, 1943-45. Plan and Print (Sept) Charles Yerkes writes column on means of indexing ultramicrofiche. Reproduction Methods (Sept)First issue in new, tabloid size includes case study on Delta Airline's use of microfilmed maintenance manuals. TRENDS: Entry of non-microfilm companies, especially in accessory areas. Typical is Boorum & Pease, well-known binder manufacturer. Introduces seven storage de vices for fiche, cards, cartridges. Business Efficiency Aids, also storage firm
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offers file drawers for microforms. Salesmen for such firms need quick educa tion courses on microfilm field. Many firms turning to consultants, seminars. MICRODOTS:Indus try Notes. United States of America Standards Institute changes name to American National Standards Institute (ANSI), moves to 1430 Broadway, NY NY 10018, announces 600 more US and 300 more international standards now avail able on microforms. Complete list from ANSI.... Chemical Abstracts Service of American Chemical Society now offers 4,000 pages of abstracts reduced to 158 16mm cartridges.... Cowles Education Corp. puts Look on 35mm rollfilm.... Council on Library Resources makes grant to MIT for experimental model engineering library to feature instant access to remotely-stored catalog via CRT and then rapid re trieval of microfilmed data. Grant for $150,000 augments $975,000 grant in 1968. Project name is Intrex (Information Transfer Experiments).... Sanders Associates gets $265,000 award from Defense Documentation Center for a microfiche reproduc tion and handling system to automate annual distribution of 2.3 million-plus microfiche copies of documents on DOD projects.... Taxtronics, Inc., NYC, puts microfilm into tax business, offers microfilmed tax returns, COM accbunting service.... 3i Company/Information Interscience Inc., signs agreement with Excerpta Medica Information Systems, Inc. to market automated medical informa tion retrieval program in U.S. Includes abstracts and references from over 200,000 biomedical articles annually. Major users, pharmaceuticals. MICROFILM BUSINESS; The Urge to Merge. Latest get-together, acquisition of Thomas Micro-Catalogs by Microfilm Unlimited (see p.l) points up industry acquistion/ merger trend. Usually small firm, strong on potential and know-how but weak on current profits, wed to larger company with desire to broaden activities, need for technology, and cash to invest. Sometimes occurs within industry, as often involves outside partner. In latter cases, newcomers often come from publishing/ printing and office equipment for obvious reasons-- publishers gain new distri bution medium and office equipment manufacturers gain systems selling opportu nities. Examples in recent years: Within industry. Agfa and National Microfilm. Bell & Howell and NB Jackets. Berkey and Graphic Microfilm. Itek and Photo Devices. 3M and Dynacolor. Xerox and University Microfilms. Publishing/Printing. Areata National with Atlantic Microfilm. Crowell Collier with Pandex. Indianhead Corp. with Information Handling. McGraw Hill
P.O. Box 2154 / Grand Central Station / N e w York, N. Y. / 10017 Gentlemen: Please enter my subscription to THE M IC R O F IL M NEW SLETTER for: 1 yr. (U.S.) @$35
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with Information Retrieval and Phototronix. of America.
New York Times with Microfilm Corp.
Office Equipment. American Standard and Mosler. DASA with Documat and Microdealers. General Dynamics with Stromberg Carlson. Leasco and Documentation Inc. NCR with Microcard. Singer with General Precision. Trend is more likely to accelerate than decelerate. MARKET PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED MICROFILM STOCKS: as of October 9, 1969 American and New York Exchanges 1969 Traded Bell & Howell Eastman Kodak (Recordak) General Dynamics (Stromberg) Itek Kleer-Vu Leasco Data 3M NCR University Computing Xerox
NYSE NYSE NYSE NYSE ASE NYSE NYSE NYSE NYSE NYSE
High 80 79 49 93 23 54 112 149 73 100
7/8 1/2 3/4
1/4 7/8 5/8 1/2
Last
Low 50 68 23 46 8 23 94 108 63 85
3/4 5/8
68 83 23 69 8 27 114 147 67 98
1/2 1/8
5/8 1/4
5/8 3/4
1/4 3/8 5/8 5/8
Over-The-Counter Quotations
Atlantic Microfilm Areata National Computer Microfilm DSI Systems General Computing HF Image Systems Houston Fearless
Bid
Asked
14 3/8 37 1/4 16 7 12 1/4 43 3
14 7/8 38 1/4 18 10 14 46 3 1/2
Bid Information Inti 17 Kalvar 100 Keuffel & Esser 17 Microfilm Unl'd 2 Microform Data Sy 18 Micromation Sys 1 Micromation Tech 5
Asked 1/4 1/2 3/4 1/8 3/4
18 106 18 2 19 1 6
1/2 3/4 1/2 3/4
ASE, NYSE highs and lows for 1969; OTC bid and asked for October 9, 1969/
References to sources for more information on any subject reported in this news letter are available to subscribers. Please specify issue date, page number and individual item.