He focuses on the problems with microfilm, a new technology adopted by libraries in the 1930's in an effort to solve a critical paper deterioration problem. Librarians share Baker's concern about the poor-quality of early microfilm and his anguish when it is difficult to use. The article, however, does not acknowledge the successes libraries have had with microfilm, especially since the early 1980s when standards and best practices for preservation microfilming were developed. These standards have been adopted by libraries around the world and are required by the NEH for institutions participating in the U.S. Newspaper Program and the Brittle Books program. It can reduce the labor of research significantly.
Zoom lenses can make print legible that is extremely hard to read even in the original.
Collectors are often at odds with libraries because their motivations are somewhat different. Libraries have the job of promoting, broadening, and expanding use of collections and making sure they're accessible. The nation does not financially support unused repositories with either private or public funds. So libraries are faced with trade-offs that rarely affect the collector. Baker ignored several decades worth of scientific research, confirmed by paper industry experts, on the longevity of paper that the Library of Congress shared with him.