Digging Up Roots in the Mud Files Microfilm Even in an age when more and more emphasis is being placed on preservation through digital imaging, microfilm remains the most widely acceptable medium for the long-term preservation of records. Its benefits are many and obvious. Large, very heavy minute and docket books which are difficult to retrieve and even more difficult to use can be reduced to an image easily read on a microfilm viewer. Microfilmed records are readily accessible in the reading room, where patrons may retrieve them and view them without the aid of staff members and without having to wait for the records to be retrieved from storage and then humidified.
Some people dislike microfilm and prefer to use the original records.
But we will require you to use the film of any court record that has been transferred to microfilm. The originals of filmed records have been retired from use and are retrieved only under very special circumstances.