Backstage Preservation Services was founded on micrographics technology. With years of experience and state-of-the-art micrographics laboratories, we have participated in a variety of projects including the large-scale preservation efforts of the NEH Brittle Book Program and the U.S. Newspaper Program.

Experience with many formats

We have preserved a wide variety of materials, including traditional printed materials, and a range of different archival collections, including non-book formats. We can meet the challenges posed by material that is fragile or oversized, as well working as a variety of languages, including:

  • Western languages in Roman alphabets
  • Languages using Cyrillic alphabet
  • Slavic and Middle Eastern (Hebrew, Arabic, Farsi)
  • East Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
  • South Asian (Hindi, Urdu)
  • Southeast Asian (Burmese, Cambodian, Indonesian, Javanese, Laotian, Malaysian, Thai and Vietnamese)

We also can scan original newspapers to United States Newspaper Project (USNP) legacy microfilm, which is a requirement of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

Skilled materials preparation

We offer preparation services, including collation, reel programming, preparation of bibliographic targets, prospective cataloging and post-film updating of bibliographic records.

Microfilm options

Microfilm options include high contrast, continuous tone, or color film in 35mm or 105mm sizes.

Focus on quality and standards

Collections are filmed in an advanced micrographic laboratory with an ongoing focus on quality assurance. Over the years, Preservation Services has been instrumental in developing preservation industry standards and guidelines, such as the RLG Preservation Microfilm Guidelines and digitization supplement.

Duplication, storage, and other services

Film duplication services include duplication from polyester-base film and deterioration-prone, acetate-base film. Polysulfide treatment for film is available to guard against oxidative attack, commonly called redox.

Our environmentally-controlled storage vault ensures that microfilm print master copies remain in a proper environment while being easily accessible for on-demand generation of duplicate copies.

If you have a specific project in mind and would like us to prepare a proposal, please contact us.