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Microfilms | Microfiche | Microprints | Microcards | Equipment

A Microform Collection is located on Level 3 of the Main Library.  The items in the collection can be found in SAULCAT, the online catalogue, which gives their classmarks and locations. The collection comprises:

Microfilms

About 5,000 microfilms, mainly of periodicals, are held. Major titles are:

  • The Times 1785 - present (including supplements - TLS, THES, etc)
  • The Scotsman 1817 - 1927; 1965 - present (1928 - 1964 is held in hard-copy)
  • St Andrews Citizen 1872 - present
  • Le Monde 1973 - present
  • Command Papers 1922 - 1977

The remainder of the collection consists of short runs of periodicals.

If you need to locate articles or reports in the Times,Times Literary Supplement, Times Higher Education Supplement, etc, then look in the following indexes:

  • Times Index 1785 - present updated monthly; in hard-copy, shelved beside the microfilms on Level 3
  • Palmers Index to the Times 1790 - 1905 shelved beside the microfilms on Level 3 or held on CD-ROM, obtainable from the Service Desk

Microfiche

Approximately 33,000 microfiche are held. Major titles are:

  • House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 1981 - present
  • House of Lords Parliamentary Papers 1985 - present
  • European Union COM documents 1983 - present
  • Mother Ireland political literature 1966 -1987

The remainder of the collection consists of miscellaneous research projects. Some are pictorial rather than text-based eg a complete collection of photographs of items in the Burrell Collection.

Microprints

Some 70,000 are held; nearly all are:

  • British Parliamentary Papers 1731 - 1921

Microcards

An obsolete format. Several hundred microcards are held, mainly parts of periodical runs of which the Library does not hold the hard-copy.

Equipment

  • 4 microfilm readers
  • 1 microfiche reader
  • 1 microprint/microcard reader
  • 1 microfilm reader/printer (+ another on Level 1)
  • 1 microfiche reader/printer

This equipment is on Level 3, in the Microform area, apart from the reader/printers which are held on Level 1, beside the Rare Books and Manuscripts Reading Room.    All machines are self-service and non-bookable.

Photocopy cards are needed for a printout from the microfilm/fiche reader/printers:

  • 1 copy per page is deducted by the microfiche reader/printer
  • 2 copies per page by the microfilm reader/printer

Photocopy cards can be bought from the Service Desk on Level 2. Credit can be loaded onto cards by the value loading machine which is on the wall by the photocopiers or at the Service Desk.

Please ask at the Service Desk on Level 2 if you need assistance with these machines or help with problems.