Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 950 CMR - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH › Title 950 CMR 39.00 - Regulations On Using Microfilm › Section 39.05 - Preparation of Film

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1)
Original Records
. Original source documents should be
			 of sufficient legibility and high quality to ensure a microfilm of high
			 quality. Should the source documents be of inferior legibility or of low
			 quality, the microfilm output will be of similarly inferior legibility.
Proper care shall be taken in the preparation and arrangement
				of original records for filming to ensure that a true and accurate reproduction
				will be made. Insofar as is possible, preparation and arrangement shall be in
				accordance with
Practice for Operational Procedures/Inspection and
				Quality Control of First-generation, Silver Microfilm of Documents
,
				ANSI/AIIM MS 23. All staples, paper clips, folds, attachments, etc. shall be
				removed before document filming. Source documents shall be arranged and filmed
				in a manner consistent with their customary reference and
				usage.
(2)
Reduction Ratio
. Regardless of format, the guiding
			 consideration in establishing a reduction ratio shall be the reproduction of
			 readable records on film, which shall be system-compatible in usage. The
			 reduction ratio employed shall be such as to ensure a Quality Index resolution
			 levelof8 as described below.
It should be observed that reduction ratios of24X are regarded
				as optimalinregular (16 mm) roll film production. Unitized microforms also are
				becoming standardized on the basis of 24X. Certain applications may require
				variations fromthis standard. For example, lower reduction may be beneficial
				where 35 mm film is used; higher reduction may be necessary where 105 mm film
				is used or where duplex filming is performed on a rotary camera, and 32X
				reduction is the norm for filming computer output pages. While such factors may
				necessitate variations, the 24X optimum shall be followed as closely as
				possible.
The reductionstandard for computer output microfilm (COM) is
				48X, as defined in
Recommended Practice for Alphanumeric
				Computer-Output Microforms - Operational Practices and Quality Control
,
ANSI/AIIM MS 1.
(3)
Resolution
. The
			 method for determining the minimum required resolution shall conform to the
			 Quality Index Method of determining resolution as given in the
Practice
			 for Operational Procedures/Inspection and Quality Control of First-Generation,
			 Silver-Gelatin Microfilm of Documents
, ANSI/AIIM MS 23, and
Recommended Practice for Operational Procedures/Inspection and Quality
			 Control of Duplicate Microforms of Documents and from COM
, ANSI/AIIM
			 MS 43. Resolution shall be sufficient for the production of film producing fine
			 detail and sharpness of image.
Resolution tests shall be performed using a NIST-SRM 1010a
				Microcopy Resolution Test Chart (a calibrated and certified photographic
				reproduction) as specified in
ISO Resolution Test Chart No. 2 -
				Description and Use
, ANSI/ISO 3334 (ANSI/AIIM MS 51) and the patterns
				will be read followingthe instructions of ANSI/ISO 3334. Rotary camera targets
				shall conform to the specifications and be used in accordance with
Test
				Chart for Rotary Microfilm Cameras
, ANSI/AIIM MS 17. A minimum Quality
				Index level of 8.0 (high quality) shall be maintained; i.e., a lower case "e"
				that is 2mmhighand will be reproduced to three generations shall be filmed on a
				system that will resolve the 5.0 pattern, regardless of the reduction ratio or
				the type of camera used.
Computer output microfilm shall meet the requirements of
Recommended Practice for Alphanumeric Computer Output Microforms -
				Operational Practices for Inspection and Quality Control
, ANSI/AIIM MS
				1.
(4)
Density
. Throughout filming, density shall be
			 monitored constantly. If density values are too low, the film will appear faded
			 or "washed out." On the other hand, if the density is too high, fine or light
			 lines from the original document will tend to fill in and bold black lines will
			 tend to spread. Density values shall be such that exposed film shall have clear
			 and open lines, as well as an absence of spread and/or widened letters
			 (characters).
The most favorable background density values, in the case of
				first generation film, and when the baseplus-fog density of the film is less
				than or equal to 0.10, range from 0.80 to 1.50, depending on the original
				documents to be filmed. Optimum values for various original documents set forth
				in
Practice for Operational Procedures/Inspection and Quality Control
				of First-Generation, Silver-Gelatin Microfilm of Documents
, ANSI/AIIM
				MS 23, are indicated below.
CLASSIFICATION
DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
BACKGROUND
DENSITY
GROUP 1........
High-quality, high-contrast printed books,
							 periodicals and black typing
1.30 - 1.50
GROUP 2........
Fine-line originals, black opaque pencil
							 writing, and documents with high contrast printing
1.15 - 1.40
GROUP 3........
Pencil and ink drawings, faded printing, and
							 very small printing, such as footnotes at the bottom of a printed
							 page
1.0 - 1.20
GROUP 4........
Low-contrast manuscripts and drawings, graph
							 paper with pale, fine colored lines; letters typed with a worn ribbon; and
							 poorly-printed, faint documents
0.80 - 1.0
GROUP 5........
Poor-contrast documents (special
							 exception)
0.70 - 0.85
Recommended visual diffuse transmission densities for
				computer-generated images are as follows:
FILM TYPE
PROCESS
DENSITY MEASUREMENT
							 METHOD
MIN.
DMAX.*
MAX.
DMIN.*
MINIMUM
DENSITY
DIFFERENCE
Silver gelatin (1P)
Conventional
Printing or diffuse
0.75
0.15 or 0.10 plus base^
0.60
Silver gelatin (1N)
Full reversal
Printing
1.50
0.20 plus base^**
1.30
*Character or line density, measured with a micro densitometer
				or by comparing the film under a microscope with an image of a known
				density.
^Base equals the density of the uncoated base.
**Character or line density, measured with a micro
				densitometer or by comparing the film under a microscope with an image of a
				known density; the cut mark is useful for processing control only.
Targets and document samples shall be test filmed and density
				checked for the camera negative, each user generation to be used, and
				reader-printer blowbacks. The procedure for measurement of density is described
				in ANSI/AIIM MS 23.
(5) Film
			 Identification. Specifications for film identification should be followed as
			 given in the
Recommended Practice for the Identification of
			 Microforms
, ANSI/AIIM MS 19.
At a minimum, identification targets shall display the
				following information: name of the agency by which records are held; the
				declarations by the records custodian and camera operator; the title of the
				records (with identification of contents if not evident from series title); the
				microfilm reel number; camera number (where applicable); legal citation for
				access restriction (if any); the date of filming; and where possible, the
				inclusive dates, numbers, names or other data identifying the first and last
				records on the roll.
Unitized microforms (i.e., fiche, aperture cards, and jacketed
				film) shall contain records identification information in eye-readable headings
				in the appropriate places at the top (heading area) of the film material, or on
				the film jacket.
Any indexes, registers, or other finding aids shall be
				microfilmed and located in a readily identifiable place within the collection
				of microfilmed records.
(6)
Targets.
Standard targets shall be employed pursuant
			 to ANSI/AIIM 19 and ANSI/AIIM MS 23. These shall include appropriate technical
			 targets, restriction or classification targets, targeting for start/end of film
			 record, camera operator's report, and records identification. Other targets,
			 including retake, start file, or space targets, shall be used as
			 necessary.
(7)
Film
			 Processing
. As soon after the date of exposure as possible,
			 (ideally within 24-48 hours), all film shall be processed in order that the
			 film images be properly fixed.
Hypo-residue (sodium thiosulfate) shall meet the standards of
Imaging Media (Film) - Silver-Gelatin Type - Specifications for
				Stability
, ANSI/NAPM IT 9.1. In all such cases, film shall be washed
				to reduce the hypo residue to within allowable tolerances as defined in
				ANSI/NAPM IT9.1. The amount of thiosulfate ion residue shall be greater than 0
				and less than 0.014 gram/meter2 .
To confirm these tolerances, the chemical testing of processed
				film shall be required. The tests to be used in meeting this requirement are
				specified in
Photography (Chemicals) Residual Thiosulfate and Other
				Chemicals in Films, Plates and Papers - Determination and Measurement
.
				ANSI/ASC PH 4.8. If reversal processing will be used, it must be full
				photographic reversal and not the halide-type reversal.
The use of polysulfide or other treatment approved by the Image
				Permanence Institute to retard the deterioration of processed film is
				encouraged.
(8)
Post-filming Inspection
. It is the responsibility of
			 the records custodian to ensure that, as soon after processing as possible, all
			 film shall be inspected to determine if the material has been filmed in proper
			 sequence, and to determine if photographic and physical requirements have been
			 met. This shall include resolution, density, and residual thiosulfate ion
			 checks, as well as visual inspections for the quality of the filmed product.
			 Inspections shall be made as recommended by ANSI/AIIM MS 23 and reports shall
			 be prepared detailing defects and errors, if any, and indicating any
			 corrections which may be made. Said reports will be returned to the custodian
			 of the records involved.
In regard to roll film, corrections and/or retakes are to be
				spliced in at the beginning of each reel in a retake section along with targets
				for retake certificates. Splices shall be made in accordance with
Splices for Imaged Film - Dimensions and Operational
				Constraints
, ANSI/AIIM MS 18. Equivalent procedures shall be applied
				in the correction of unitized microforms.