Instructions for Records to Be Microfilmed
The following steps are necessary and must be followed prior to shipment. It is important to note that records will be refused for filming and returned to the agency at the agency's expense when these procedures are not followed.
- Place records in the box in the order they are to be microfilmed. Records should be in either an alpha or numeric order per record series. See guidelines in the Packing Records for Storage section for proper placement in boxes. It is essential that agencies submitting a Microfilm Request Form maintain the order of the index in their boxes.
- If a box is not full, fill the remaining space with paper or newsprint. Do not use shredded material or Styrofoam packing chips. There should be at least two inches of space at the end of the box to allow the camera operators to easily remove the folders for filming.
- Boxes should be consecutively numbered per record series for each shipment. Each box should then be entered into the electronic records tracking system.
- Please complete the Microfilm Request Form
. The Microfilm Request Form is designed for state agencies who submit records to be microfilmed by the Records Management Division's Imaging Services Section. The form does not replace the index that must still be submitted with the boxes, or entering the boxes into the agency records tracking system. The form allows agencies to bundle groups of boxes onto a single form and submit an index for the first through the last box in the group. This is important because an average roll of microfilm is usually equal to one-and-one-half one-cubic-foot boxes. Using the index enables the microfilm camera operator to completely fill a roll to save space in storage and save on the cost of materials.
Once an agency's records have been microfilmed, the agency will receive the microfilm and a copy of the Microfilm Request Form. The agency has 90 days from receipt of the microfilm to review and verify the microfilm. The original documents will automatically be destroyed after 90 days, unless a re-film hold is placed on the records.