THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKES THREE GAINT STEPS FOR MICROGRAPHICS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00933R000300010005-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 22, 2001
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: March 1, 1972
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

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THE JOURNAL OF MICROGRAPHICS ? VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4 ? MARCH 1972
The Federal Government
Takes Three Giant Steps
for Micrographics
INTRODUCTION
The U. S. Government is at the forefront in
the advancement of information technology.
Federal obligations, for example, for scientific
and technical information * (STINFO), increased
fivefold from $75.9 million to $384.9 million
between 1960 and 1970. During this time period
approximately $66.5 million was spent for re-
search and development in informative services,
documentation and information systems, and
techniques and devices, up from $2.9 million in
1960.
During this decade, our own micrographic in-
dustry has benefited greatly from these federal
programs. Today the demand for microforms
from the National Technical Information Service
(NTIS); the Defense Documentation Center
(DDC); the Atomic Enerky Commission (AEC);
the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion (NASA); and the Educational Resources
Information Centers (ERIC) exceeds 20 million
microfiche annually.
In addition to federal information obligations
for STINFO, there have been many other obliga-
tions as well, for social security, military records,
intelligence operations and the like, involving the
implementation of micrographic systems.
During the past 12 months, federal obligations
and decisions on behalf of micrographic tech-
nology have been especially significant. The U.
S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has re-
quested permission from the Joint Congressional
Committee on Printing to offer for sale its titles
in micro forms through the Superintendent of
Documents. The Department of Defense (DOD)
is implementing a new extensive micro publishing
program for its Federal Catalog System. The
by Don M. Avedon
Technical Director, NMA
Committee on Scientific and Technical Informa-
tion (COSATI) has adopted the NMA 98 frame,
24X microfiche standard.
These steps mark bold federal government
actions to expand the use of microfiche on a
logical and economical basis. It should be noted
that the GPO and COSATI decisions to adopt
the NMA 98 frame, 24X microfiche standard for
microfilming source documents (paper), taken
along with the DOD Federal Catalog System
decision to adopt a 48X reduction for computer
output microfilm, provide consolidation of micro-
fiche formats and an orderly development of
micrographic systems.
The impact of these government decisions are
reviewed in this article.
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING
OFFICE (GPO)
On December 2, 1970, at an NMA news brief-
ing, the late Honorable A. N. Spence, 11, Public
Printer of the United States, announced that he
had requested permission from the joint Con-
gressional Committee on Printing to make Gov-
ernment Printing Office publications available in
microform.
The GPO is the largest publisher in the world.
It: (a) stocks and issues 27,000 publications;
(b) received ? 5.1 million orders for 82 million
publications last year; (c) issues 12 million pub-
lications each year automatically to 1,041 de-
pository libraries; and (d) sold $21 million
worth of publications last year.
In April 1971, Mr. Spence formed a GPO
Micropublishing Advisory Committee to make
recommendations on this program. The Advisory
Committee consists of Robert F. Haynes (GPO)
as Chairman, Dr. Lee G. Burchinal (Office of
Education), Peter Urbach (NTIS), Walter Chris-
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tensen (DOD), Charles LaHood (Library of Con-
gress), Dr. Vernon D. Tate (NMA), George Bern-
stein (Navy), James Coulter (NSA), Forrest Car-
hart,. Jr. (ALA), and Henry Powell (IIA). With
industry cooperation, the Advisory Committee
conducted tests at reductions of 24X, 32X, and
48X. The tests indicated that readability of dup-
licates at 48X was not up to acceptable quality.
In general, both initial production problems and
reproduction problems in the field become more
difficult at higher reductions.
The Advisory Committee made the following
recommendations to the Public Printer:
? For reproduction and record purposes, the
GPO should micro-reproduce all documents
as made available to depository libraries.
? The Public Printer should consider a dual
micrographic system incorporating the stan-
dard 98-frame, 105 x 148.75mm microfiche
and roll microfilm (details regarding roll
film are still under consideration);
? Distribution of the microforms should be
made optional to depository librarians. The
depository librarian may receive either paper
or microform copies without charge. Micro-
form copies should be made available at a
fee to the public.
Due to the magnitude and scope of GPO's
micropublishing program, it will probably be the
largest micropublishing venture in the world. Mr.
Spence will be remembered for bringing the
modern publishing technique to GPO. This pro-
gram will save the taxpayers considerable money,
and spur the entire micrographic industry. It
should create many new users of microforms,
help establish standards, and result in extensive
purchases of equipment and supplies.
The Advisory Committee supported Mr.
Spence's position of using existing commercial
vendors for GPO's production of microforms.
Therefore, the industry's systems service com-
panies should have a chance at bidding on and
obtaining the contract for this very large micro-
publishing venture.
? GPO, is also reviewing the problem of biblio-
graphic control of federal government publica-
tions: The following items are being considered:
? Automation of GPO's records so that annual
accumulations of listings in indexes can be
made available to the public promptly;
? Designing a new system of bibliographic
control for federal government publica-
tions, particularly the relationship be-
tween the GPO Monthly Catalog, the NTIS
Government Reports Announcements, Gov-
ernment Reports Index, and the cataloging
effort of the Library of Congress.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) AND
THE FEDERAL CATALOG SYSTEM -
MINI-CATS REP'ORT'
MINI-CATS is the acronym for Miniaturization
of Federal Catalog System publications. The
following are the salient characteristics of the
Federal Catalog System:
? 4.5 million items are cross-referenced to
more than 9 million reference numbers;
? Most sections of the catalog are computer
produced;
? One complete catalog is several hundred
thousand pages - 642,000 original pages in
one year;
? Duplicate copies are distributed to thou-
sands of DOD libraries - 1.8 billion copy
pages in one year;
? Additions, deletions," and modifications re-
quire frequent updating of the catalog.
All of the above comprise the ingredients for
consideration of a micrographic system! On
November 25, 1970, the Assistant Secretary of
Defense (installations and Logistics) directed that
a detailed study be made to develop recommenda-
tions for a type of microform and a compatible
reader to be used throughout the Department of
Defense for the publication, distribution, and
retrieval of Federal Catalog System and Defense
Integrated Data System publications. Within this
overall picture, the study had three objectives:
? Evaluate the availability and applicability of
advanced microforms and equipments to the
Federal Catalog System and Defense Inre-
grated Data System publications;
? Recommend a type of microform and com-
patible reader/display hardware for stan-
dardization throughout the DOD;
? Develop a proposed procurement specifica-
tion for use by all DOD components in
acquiring the standard microform and re-
trieval equipment.
The Study Group consisted of one represen-
tative each from the Departments of the Army,
Navy, and Air Force, the Defense Supply Agency
'Copies of the complete report on "Miniaturization of Federal
Cata4a System Publications (MINI-CATS)", 111,1 172-1 may be
obtained from Mr. Francis L. Kucht, DSA?DIDSO, Headquarters,
Defoat Supply Agency, Cameron Station; Alexandria, Virginia
2231-t.
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(DSA), the General Services Administration
(GSA), and the Government Printing Office
(GPO), plus four representatives from the An-
alysis Division Staff. The group was headed by
Douglas H. Lambert of the Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense (Installations and Logistics).
The Study Group collected and reviewed data,
statistics, and costs. The Group did field re-
search - reviewed other micrographic applica-
tions, both within government and in industry.
All microforms and reductions from 20X to
210X were considered. The production prob-
lems, as well as the user equipment requirements,
were looked at. All in all, a very comprehensive
study was made.
The following requirements were established
for distributing and using data of the magnitude
of the Federal Catalog System:
From the Catalog User's standpoint - it should
provide:
? Ease of data look-up;
? Correct, up-to-date information;
? Ease of handling;
? Easy to read data; and
? Minimum file maintenance.
From the Producer's standpoint - it should
provide:
? Ease and speed of production; and
? Ease and speed of distribution.
From an Overall System standpoint - it
should provide:
? Maximum automation of processes to assure
quality and speed;
? System simplicity to assure understanding;
and
? Sufficient control to assure quality and con-
sistency of data.
Interpreted in terms of a microfilm application,
the form, retrieval equipment, and system needed
to meet the catalog publication requirements
listed above should have the following character-
istics:
The form should:
? Provide a significant degree of compaction;
? Have a high quality of readability;
? Permit short production and distribution
leadtime; and
? Permit rapid, easy update of user films;
preferably, it should permit complete user-
file replacement.
The retrieval equipment should-
? Be extremely reliable (i.e., require minimum
maintenance and few part replacements);
? Provide ease of operation;
? Provide a high quality of readability; and
? Be adaptable to the user's environment.
The overall system should:
? Be relatively simple;
? Provide for maximum automation of pro-
cesses;
? Be flexible and capable of expansion;
? Be adaptable to standardization; and
? Provide for ease of data retrieval.
The following analysis (Figure 1) of the page
distribution and number of issues of a particular
portion of the catalog is typical of the studies
made by the Study Group before recommending
a microform and reduction.
Total
Total
Page
No.
z
Original
Copy
gan a
Issues
Iseue$
Pope
Pages
1- 60
222
37.L
6,431
29,733,624
61- 98
72
12.0
5,840
24,425,396
99- 200
101
16.9
14,208
73,840,930
201- 300
57
9.5
14,346
84,740,924
301- 400
59
919
20,590
122,920,206
401- 500
45
7.5
19,865
130,678,380
501- 600
15
7.5
8,212
40,185,138
601- 1000
20
3.3
15,178
106,871,620
1001- 2000
3
.8
7,012
23,579,614
2001- 3000
2
.3
4,284
15,065,200
Totals
598
100.0
115,966'
652,041,032
Avoragn
/ / / /
/ / J / /
194
1,090,370
Figure 1. Catalog Publication Volume Statistics.
(Summary of Basic Identification Lists - 1970)
The following analysis (Figure 2) of equipment
and microfilm media costs for each microform
and reduction was considered.
The total annual systems costs for microfiche
at various reductions was compared to the then
current (1970) cost of producing paper catalogs
(Figure 3).
Two major conclusions were reached by the
Study Group: (1) the rearrangement of produc-
tion processing volume for certain Federal Catalog
System publications would result in lower pro-
duction costs; and (2) the microform system for
miniaturization of Federal Catalog Systems pub-
lications offering the most optimum combination
of costs and benefits is microfiche at a 48X re-
duction.
The microfiche format recommended for the
48X microfiche is shown in Figures 4 and 5.
This format is designed around an equivalent 11"
x 14" document. The grid is an outgrowth of
the NMA 24X COM microfiche standard format
A3 (Figure 6, NMA MS2-1971). Each frame in
the A3, 24X format was divided in half hori-
zontally and vertically to provide for 48X re-
ductions and provide four times as many frames,
but remain compatible.
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I.O M V2. 3. ??
_ __ I -41.1 1_ a I~ MEOM COSTS 1.3
ww~wwwww
I
__ i AR - . _
4Z. I
rn,me fiche Fiche Fiche
Source: Contractor/Service/Agency Catalog Data Submission
Figure 2. Comparison of Relation of Microform Media/Equipment Costs
to Microform Alternatives ($ Millions).
COMPARISON OF CURRENT SYSTEAVMICROFORM ALTERNATIVE COSTS
At tll IJGI 2W1
FkM FkM Tithe FkM
SourtA CRnbKbrfSvvkI Agmry C to DW Submllfbn
Current
System
Figure 3. Comparison of Current System/Microform
Alternative Costs.
The following recommendations were made to
DOD:
?. Funds should be provided in the next bud-
get submission for microfiche equipment
procurement;
? A single procurement agent should be
selected and assigned the responsibility for
the procurement of standard retrieval equip-
ment;
? The military services and the Defense Supply
Agency should be directed to obtain micro-
fiche equipment required at the earliest
possible time, with the objective of having
readers on hand during calendar year 1972,
and at the latest, by 1 July 1973;
? The military services and the Defense Sup-
ply Agency should divert funds, currently
budgeted for the publication, distribution,
and storage of hard copy catalogs, to the
procurement of microfiche (48X).
In accordance with the Study Group's recom-
mendations, the Defense Supply Agency allocated
funds to initiate procurement action for approxi-
mately 25,000 microfiche readers (of the type
shown in Figure 6) to be delivered over a twelve
month period, and prepared a schedule for the
project.
The schedule, through the delivery of the first
ineranent of viewers, is as follows:
27 January 1972 - Initiated Procurement
action
4 February 1972 - Issued Solicitation - IFB.
3 March 1972 - Invitation for bids opened.
24 March 1972 - Abstracting, evaluation of
solicitation, prepare Pre-Award Survey, EEO
Survey, etc.
10 April 1972 - Pre-Award Survey Perfor-
mance by DCAS.
14 April 1972 - Award made.
12 June 1972 - First article testing and pre-
production sample by the contractor due.
26 June 1972 - Evaluation of First Article
Test by Government due.
1 September 1972 - First deliveries scheduled.
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I.~4.0
Column
1 2 3
5.25-.i
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 181
Cutmark
3.0x3.0
-93.75
67.50
-81.25
- 75.00
62.50
--- 50.00 105.00
-43.75
50
37
.
31.75
- 25.00
-- 18.75
_ 12.50
-6.25
-_ 00.00 A
4.0
fV ? a?
a Index Frame (O-18)
1. Page size 11x14 in. (Text 13.20 x 10.67 ;n,)
2. Effective reduction ratio 48X
Fiche Format 3. Format 18 columns x 15 row% - 270 frames
4. Dimensions are in millimeters, exceot as noted
5. Grid lines shown do not appear on fiche
Figure 4. Fiche Format.
MCRL-PT1 01/72 CL18513
014
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.11 AA
COMMITTEE ON SCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNICAL INFORMATION (COSATI)
COSATI is the Committee on Scientific and
Technical Information of the Federal Council for
Science and Technology, Executive Office of the
President. The Committee Chairman is Melvin
S. Day, Office of Science Information Service.
The Committee is composed of federal 'agencies
responsible for operating scientific and technical
information systems. Five agencies are among
the largest producers of microfiche in the world.
The agencies are: National Technical Informa-
tion Service (NTIS); Defense Documentation
Center (DDC); Atomic Energy Commission
(AEC); National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration (NASA); and the Office of Educa-
tion (OE). During 1971 these agencies produced
a combined total in excess of 20 million micro-
fiche for distribution.
In 1963, the National Microfilm Association
issued an industry standard for microfiche pro-
viding fortwo formats of the 105mm x 148.75mm
size. One format provided 98 frames (14 col-
umns and 7 rows) with images reduced 24X, and
a second format provided 60 frames (12 columns
and 5 rows) with images reduced 20X. Most of
the industry over the years has used the 98-
frame format and it has become known as the
"NMA Standard". In June of 1965, COSATI
standardized a 60-frame format with reductions
of 18X to 20X. This 60-frame format has be-
come known as the "COSATI Standard", and
most federal government agencies have used this
format. In 1965, the feeling was that government
documents, being in poor condition, could not
tolerate reductions greater than 20X.
In 1971, COSATI reconsidered its microfiche
standard. During the past eight years, prepara-
tion of documents has improved and there have
been a number of improvements in micrographic
technology. Film emulsions and lenses have been
improved and computer output microfilm (COM)
has been developed. The use of different formats
for government and industry has also caused
problems.
The following factors were considered by
COSATI:
1. Economics. The 98-frame format holds
50% more pages of information than does
the 60-frame format; therefore, many docu-
ments can be accommodated on one, in-
steadof two, microfiche. When an individual
document has hundreds or even thousands
of duplicates produced, savings are substan-
tial. At NTIS, for example, the average
document has 75 pages requiring two micro-
fiche per title on the 60-frame format, and
only one fiche on the 98-frame format.
On this subject the Public Printer of the
U. S., The late Honorable A. N. Spence, 11,
said "From a production cost standpoint,
20X is totally unacceptable to the Govern-
ment Printing Office". The one-time pro-
-duction equipment conversion costs to
change from 20X to 24X for AEC, DDC,
NASA, and NTIS, was estimated at
$575,000. The annual savings to the
agencies was estimated at over $320,000.
Therefore, the changeover would be paid.
for in 21 months and from then on, there
would be considerable savings.
2. Image Quality and Reduction Compatibility.
COSATI determined that a change from the
60-frame to the 98-frame format would re-
sult in only a negligible effect on most
users. There is no effect in the area of
fiche duplication. Readers and reader-
printers with 18X to 20X magnification will
lbave slightly reduced image blowbacks, but
mo significant effect on readability. Through
normal attrition and expansion programs,
treaders can be upgraded to magnifications
of 22X to 24X.
3.. Quantity and Microform Compatibility. In
a study' of the micropublishing field,
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Yerkes-Wolf Associates determined that
during 1970, 38 million fiche were pro-
duced at reductions of 18X to 20X, and
50 million fiche were produced at reduc-
tions of 24X. In addition, they determined
that over 500 million feet of 16mm micro-
film was duplicated and distributed in micro-
publishing systems during the same year. It
is important that microfiche produced by
government for dissemination to industry
be compatible with microfiche produced by
industry for itself. It is also desirable for
the reduction and frame size of microfiche
to be compatible with 16mm roll micro-
film. If this were true, readers could be
designed to accommodate both microforms.
4. COM and Non-COM Compatibility. As
computer output microfilm (COM) and
conventional source document microfilm
(non-COM) are used more and more in the
same systems by the same users on the same
readers and reader-printers, compatibility is
a necessity. COM recorders do generate
film at 24X, but are not commercially avail-
able at 20X.
On July 27, 1971, the Federal Council for
Science and Technology accepted the COSATI
recommendation that the 60-frame, 20X stan-
dard for microfiche be replaced with the NMA
98-frame, 24X standard. This recommendation
was accepted with the proviso that each Federal
agency will implement the 24X standard in
accordance with each agency's ability to obtain
the necessary resources for the changeover. This
change is scheduled for implementation at NTIS
and DDC during February and March of 1972.
iMP 71-80 Micropublishing 1971-1980, prepared by Yerkes-Wolf
Associates, Inc., 880 Scarsdale Avenue, Scarsdale, New York
10583. July 1971.
STANDARDS
BASIC U. S. GOVERNMENT
MICROGRAPHIC STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS RS1-1972
This book contains 360 pages providing copies of 19
standards and specifications, in effect all Federal Govern-
ment Standards and Specifications. This 1972 edition
replaces NMA Monograph No. 1 of 1967.
Price: Member - $6.50 Non-Member - $7.50
Si, papa 213 for Order Form.
ucl`~ aNCl COIHU
MICROFICHE GRID GAUGE MS105.1972
A transparent device .for checking microfiche containing
the 98 frame NMA format.
Price: Member - $3.50 Non-Member - $5.00
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