Imaging Solutions Company earns Kodak certification for microfilm preservation

ISC the only company in the Central United States trained by Kodak to assess and correct microfilm degradation

WICHITA, Kan. — Feb. 16, 2004 — Many organizations and governments store vital records and historical documents on microfilm. But if that information is saved on an older acetate type of microfilm and not properly handled and stored, it can prematurely degrade due to a chemical reaction, literally turn to vinegar and be lost forever.

With its central business focus of ensuring the integrity of corporate information, Imaging Solutions Company (ISC), the region’s largest data storage and retrieval company, recently achieved another milestone in microfilm expertise, becoming a Kodak Certified Microfilm Preservation Lab.

"Imaging Solutions Company understands the significance of these historical documents, and we specialize and use the latest technologies to ensure they are preserved intact," said Paul Black, president and CEO of ISC. "Many companies claim to have expertise in this area, but duplicating acetate film that is showing signs of degradation is a highly delicate process. Only a handful of companies nationwide are qualified to perform this job properly."

ISC lab personnel successfully completed the Kodak Preservation Inspection Training Program, making them experts in microfilm inspection and preservation and allowing them to accurately evaluate any microfilm archive or storage facility. In addition, ISC experts can:

• Assess the impact of environmental conditions (relative humidity and temperature) on archived microfilm

• Identify microfilm degradation anomalies and limit their impact on image quality for both acetate and polyester microfilm formats

• Establish corrective plans that provide a blueprint for moving ahead with archive restoration

• Determine acidity levels of acetate film affected by vinegar syndrome

• Employ the latest preservation, duplication and deterioration prevention techniques

Proper processing, quality assurance and storage of microfilm archives can help ensure that life expectancy of any company or government agency’s microfilm library is measured in centuries, rather than having it end up permanently degraded or lost altogether.

ISC can provide a comprehensive evaluation and inspection of microfilm libraries and storage facilities. For information, call 316-630-0440 (Toll-free: 877-630-0440) and ask for the Film Preservation Lab or send an e-mail to FilmInspection@imagingco.com.