Turn what you know into a working brief.
Formats, labels, units, and condition observations.
Who needs to find what, and by which fields.
Sample, exceptions, review criteria, and handoff.
Prepare a useful first conversation.
Tick what you know. Download a copy for your team. Notes stay in this page and are not submitted.
0 of 8 planning items checkedSet up one row per useful unit
Choose a unit that preserves how the collection is organized: a reel, cartridge, cassette, fiche sheet, jacket, aperture card, box, drawer, or homogeneous batch. Use a stable inventory ID even if the source has no formal identifier. Keep the original container and label relationship visible in the inventory rather than assigning a new number with no cross-reference.
Avoid collecting sensitive record contents in a general planning sheet unless the collection owner has approved that use. The first inventory can describe physical media and retrieval needs without reproducing personal, financial, health, legal, or otherwise restricted record data.
- Collection or series name and original container/location reference
- Inventory ID and carrier form: reel, roll, cartridge, cassette, fiche, jacket, or card
- Approximate quantity and physical dimensions: 16 mm, 35 mm, 105 × 148 mm fiche, or observed card type
- Visible labels, headers, targets, sequence, and existing index or register references
- Polarity, layout, grid, punched status, reduction, or frame marks when known
- Condition observations stated as observations, not diagnoses
- Desired retrieval fields, file roles, OCR need, and proposed destination if known
Checklist for reels, rolls, cartridges, and cassettes
For roll film, record carrier type, film width, reel or case identifier, approximate reel size or core information if known, visible leader or target notes, polarity, simplex or duplex layout, cine or comic orientation, image marks, and reduction if marked. Flag cartridges and cassettes explicitly; do not assume they can be handled as open reels.
Include visible condition observations such as scratched, dirty, curled, broken, distorted, or unknown. Do not repair broken film with household tape or diagnose support type from date alone. If an item appears damaged or uncertain, record it as an exception for appropriate review.
Checklist for fiche, jackets, and aperture cards
For fiche, note sheet dimensions, visible header, grid rows and columns, source-document/COM/jacket/unknown type, polarity, reduction if marked, and sequence. For jacket fiche, capture jacket ID, channel count, strip ordering, empty or shifted channels, and visible labels. These details preserve the relationship between frames and their filing context.
For aperture cards, note card ID, aperture count, visible printed or handwritten fields, punched/unpunched status, drawing-register availability, polarity, and visible title-block detail. Do not represent an unknown punch pattern as decoded metadata. A card image or source note can preserve evidence for later interpretation.
| Material | Minimum observations | Helpful existing context |
|---|---|---|
| Roll microfilm | Carrier, width, label, layout, polarity | Reel list, targets, frame or blip notes |
| Microfiche | Header, grid, dimensions, fiche type | Drawer index, row/column conventions |
| Jacket fiche | Jacket, channels, strips, visible damage | Jacket register or filing sequence |
| Aperture card | Card ID, apertures, labels, punched status | Drawing register, local punch-code map |
Add the questions needed after scanning
Record what users need to find and where the finished dataset may go. Useful prompts include: Do users search by date, case, report period, drawing number, title, or source location? Are image files, access PDFs, OCR text, structured metadata, or a repository-ready package requested? Which fields and value lists are required by the destination system?
Fictional example — no PII: “Series: Facilities drawings; carrier: aperture cards; count: approximately 4 boxes; existing source: drawing register; required fields: drawing number, sheet, revision; intended destination: customer-designated document library; unknowns: punch-code map and card condition.” This is enough to begin a focused project conversation.
Add fiche-specific inventory notes without guessing capacity
For each representative fiche group, record the visible header or supplied collection identifier, observed fiche form, grid or jacket arrangement, and any documented reduction or polarity. For jackets, note channel/strip relationships and gaps without removing film for inspection. A sheet size or historical layout example does not establish the image count in your collection.
Add required retrieval fields, sample references and visible condition concerns to the inventory. Keep physical-film preservation decisions separate from digital-access planning: scanning does not repair the original material or replace a condition assessment. Ask for appropriate handling review if the material appears damaged or inaccessible.
| Inventory note | Record what is actually known |
|---|---|
| Header and collection ID | Visible label or supplied finding aid; distinguish unknown values |
| Form and sequence | COM, source-document, jacket or other observed arrangement |
| Grid/channel/strip context | Positions, relationships and gaps that may affect retrieval |
| Reduction and polarity | Documented or observed attributes, not a guessed image count |
| Condition and output | Visible concerns, representative sample and intended access use |
Common questions
Should the inventory include every frame count before a consultation?
Not necessarily. Start with reliable unit counts and observable variation; the appropriate level of detail depends on the project scope.
What if I do not know the reduction ratio or film type?
Record it as unknown or not marked. Do not estimate from age, carrier, or grid alone.
Can this checklist prepare a repository import?
It creates useful source information, but a repository import also needs an approved field map, destination rules, and test process.
Sources & further reading
These references explain technical formats, standards or destination requirements. They do not imply endorsement of National Microfilm.