microfiche

Definition

A photographic format that reduces documents to tiny images on small sheets or rolls of film, readable only with a specialized microfilm reader. Libraries used microfiche extensively to store and preserve large volumes of documents, newspapers, and records in compact form.

Example Usage

To access old newspaper archives, we had to use the library's microfiche reader to view films of articles from decades past.

Origin

Developed in the mid-20th century; combines 'micro' (tiny) with 'fiche' (French for 'card' or 'slip').

Fun Fact

Microfiche was considered cutting-edge storage technology in the 1970s-1990s but is now largely obsolete due to digital scanning and cloud storage.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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