ORIGINS IN THE 19TH CENTURY
The history of microfilming can be traced back to 1839, when English scientist John Benjamin Dancer pioneered the technique of microphotography—the production of photographs small enough to be viewed only through a microscope. Dancer is credited as one of the earliest figures to experiment with this method. In 1859, René Dagron, a French optician, built upon Dancer’s innovation by developing more practical and commercially viable applications for microfilm. Dagron notably employed microfilm during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), using carrier pigeons to deliver miniature messages.
EARLY COMMERCIAL USE
Although microfilm remained largely a novelty for several decades, its practical potential emerged in the 1920s, when George McCarthy, a New York banker, devised the first commercially viable application of microfilming to create permanent copies of bank records. This innovation laid the groundwork for its broader adoption. In the 1930s, the introduction of the 35mm microfilm camera significantly advanced newspaper preservation—an area where microfilm continues to play a vital role.
WORLD WAR ll
During World War II, microfilm became essential to both military communication and espionage. The U.S. military adopted microfilm for V-mail, a system in which letters were photographed, shipped, and then reproduced at their destination to save space and increase efficiency. The war also intensified efforts to preserve cultural and governmental documents via microfilming, especially across war-affected regions in Europe.
POST WORLD WAR ll TO PRESENT
In the post-war era, microfilm evolved beyond a simple storage medium to serve as an active information system. This shift was particularly evident in libraries, where microfilm became indispensable for managing the ever-growing volume of fragile and bulky printed materials, such as newspapers. The 1950s and 1960s saw major technological improvements and increased funding, which supported the widespread adoption of microfilm in academic and research institutions. These advancements played a crucial role in the preservation and accessibility of rare and deteriorating materials for scholarly use.
The creation and advancement of the microfilm by John Benjamin Dancer and Rene Dragon respectively.
In the 1920s, George McCarthy, a banker from New York City, pioneered the first practical application of commercial microfilm with the invention of the Checkograph, for which he received a patent in 1925.
Harvard University and the Library of Congress begin large-scale microfilming of rare and fragile materials.
Academic institutions adopted microfilm for preservation.
U.S. military uses V-Mail (or hard copy) to microfilm soldiers’ letters.
Microfilm used in espionage and the preservation of wartime records across Europe.
1948
University Microfilms International (UMI) begins microfilming doctoral dissertations.
Boosted accessibility to graduate research worldwide.
1950s–60s
Microfilm standardization and funding expand its use in libraries, government agencies, and archives globally.
UNESCO supported microfilming heritage materials in developing nations.
1970s–1980s
The information explosion forced libraries and institutions and their users to microforms as an alternative to bulky expensive print material. Microfilm becomes the backbone of archival preservation programmes in national libraries and research institutions.
Used alongside early digital catalogues.
1990s–2000s
Digital preservation technologies emerge; microfilming use wanes but remains vital for long-term, analogue preservation.
Microfilm considered a stable archival medium, still valued by preservationists.
Today
Microfilm continues to be used in archives, libraries, and genealogical research.
Often digitized but retained for redundancy and preservation integrity.
George Lewis McCarthy was a New York City banker and inventor who played a pivotal role in the commercialization of microfilm technology. In 1925, he was granted a patent for the Checkograph, a machine designed to create permanent film copies of bank records. McCarthy’s innovations laid the groundwork for modern document imaging and archival practices, making him a foundational figure in the history of microfilm.
John Benjamin Dancer (8 October 1812 – 24 November 1887) was a pioneering British scientific instrument maker, optician, and inventor, best known for his groundbreaking work in microphotography and the development of the stereoscopic camera.
René Prudent Patrice Dagron (1817–1900) was the first person to receive a patent for microfilm, granted on June 21, 1859 . He was inspired by the microphotographic work of John Benjamin Dancer, whose microfilms were exhibited in Paris in 1857. Dagron saw the potential of this technology and adapted it for practical and commercial use.