Sarah

Thank you all for the responses. Summary: Nobody uses these today. Or if they do, it is simply because they have it already, and would not be interested in purchasing new or updating collections. People want the electronic, for convience if nothing else. This makes me wonder about EMP, etc. It also makes me remember a little ditty our main benefactor, RIP, used to hum. A 'rip' on 'Bad Boys'. "English, English, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha going to do when things go boom!?" What are 'you' going to do? Well, we are working today. And today I start to figure what do to do with what. The photo repro equipment goes. The specialized printers (ALL parrallel connectors!). The lens moulds. The metal jigs. Etc. I admit a bit of sadness. Those Texas Instruments electric arc printers, burns the paper surface to print... a fascinating 'lost' technology. Or the Olivetti carbon arc printer, that prints in pencil carbon. Does Olivetti even still exist? Sarah of the Librum

A good question. I am not sure just what you are asking for, an index? As the fiche and film were created electronically, I could say yes, if we still have the origionals. (?) And we can fiche/film present electronic works, but have had no demand, which is why I asked my question. The fiche more than the film, as microprinting is how we duplicate(d) fiche, but film was a photo process from a electronically printed 'photo master'. Reverse scanning would be a lot of work. I think you have given me another project for the next class. Inventory just what we do have on film/fiche vs electronic. 'Standard' readers, flat and reel, are relatively cheap. I want to say in the $6x range. Tip: if you have access to a military installation, they have the sheet readers, as military records are still sheet microfilmed. To my knowledge, most are not converted. There is not enough demand to do so. The converting scan machines do exist but have such a large price tag that most simply can not substantiate the cost. I just finished researching/pricing for a SECOND HAND 35mm roll film scanning unit, for the local county historical society, and it was over $6x,xxx. But one can get film done, by the roll, for about $4xx per roll, pages straightened and cropped, into pdf. They are wanting to convert the now defunct county newspaper. Considering that they have 'only' seventy eight reels, I suspect they will go this route, especially has they have floor space issues, and that would take their volunteers a 'month of sundays'. Correct on lens and light. And 'carry factor' (bulk) issues. Oddly enough, the biggest sellers for fiche, were the 'fiction classics'. On second thought, no, it is not odd, it was a good cheap way for mothers to have a huge virtual library for the kinder, before electronic formats became so 'vogue'. Today I have seen quite a bit of such in electronic format. Interesting. We do little geneology work, due to little interest. But when I do, I send them to the CSC then the MCC. The MCC, Mennonite Central Committee, maintains the hardcopy records, but researching takes too much time, and is a pay-the-researcher's time system. The CSC, Center for Special Children, (Mennonite, Amish, and related, in Strasburg) converted the MCC records years ago to find/track genetic faults. These are much easier to search, and then if the researchers iis interested in specific information, then they go to the MCC archivists, using the CSC records as keys. On the subject of indexes, we just pushed one project out the door that converted that same historical societies four 8xx+ page typed pages to searchable pdf. They next project for them will be the graveyard records. On newspaper work, try contacting the Library of Congress. They have converted quite a few, down to county level, the size of that collection is staggering. And such are available via Inter Library Loan, if not online. Tip: The LOC used to offer a scanning service of any work in their collections, for a fat fee, but do NOT do this any more for individuals. Back to my original question: Is there still a market for this, or should we dispose of this old ageing equipment? Sarah

Leading up to the questions... We host a huge old collection of books, how-tos, etc in our Librum library, the online portal (librum.us), and icsarchive.org. Visit the link in the signature if you might be are interested. Way back when, Y2k days, we also did a LOT of microfilm and microfiche. It was a 'pay the way', not really commercial, online and mail order. The real 'sellers' were our locally produced magnifying readers. The 'carry' factor was the big point. Today, we still do electronic, mostly free, in ebook and pdf. There has not been much demand for the film/fiche, and that part of the work has declined to almost nothing. The equipment is really starting to show it's age, and the maintenance costs keep growing. Now the question: Seriously, does anybody still use fiche/film? Sarah of the Librum

Hmmm... Go to Dollar General. I have seen 'single jar' baskets. Ball type sealing lids and rings made of plastic. But I use the local produced ones. 'Buy Local!'. Umm... If you are serious, and want to start a cottage industry, then grab the plastic moulding books over at Gingery books, and read up. (I can not help you there, we have a 'gentlemans agreement' to not step on each others toes...) Here they made a tough of old 'round bottom' gutter, mounted 'slug' heaters (see the books), which drips into a slug mould (small pill bottle size). One simply drops the bottle in the sloped trough. It is a relatively low temp, so very safe to walk away from, leaving on. The slugs are used in the press machines (again, see the books)(for rings and baskets)(BTW: Our baskets are 'singles'). We have NO junk plastic bottles. For lid moulds you do not need a press machine, just the mould to drip into... I am asuming you use the ball type metal lids with the false rubber ring. If using the older style clamp glass lids, same deal on the red rubber rings. But I always wax dip them too. If you do not want to go to the 'extreme', then look into 'cold tinning solution', used for electronic work. Dip the ring, and it is tin plated.. Same with making your own baskets, or replating the ones you have... Sarah of the Librum.

Hello! Same here. That was the origen of a lot of the 'paperback shelf' at our freebie http://www.icsarchive.org site. Which volume/work are you looking for? We might just have it, if not already online. We have a LOT of 'unrestored' in the queue. A LOT! I collect them, as most 'recipe' books assume you have electric stoves, etcx. I have never understood the 'fiction-eers', I never read fiction.. Being Old Order Mennonite, I usually get a chuckle at the popularity of the various Amish theme books, especially the sugar-coating done. If you want to read the real, check out 'X-Amish'. As to what I am 'reading', I am slogging through the restoration of American Medical Botany, 1847, . We have an earlier restoration version online, at librum.us. Not free though. Sarah of the Librum

I understand that. But I also understand 'bulk' or 'carrying factor'. There comes a point where you simply have too much. Then you get to the point of not being able to find some/anything. To folks who do not have, or want, a 'Bug Out Laptop', then I usually suggest archiving the ecopy, then print out what you want. Do your own 'Carla Emory', as it were. Most of our patrons do have BOLs. Any old laptop who can take 12vdc, and has dvd drive will do. Quite a few patrons make 'microfiche'. A good, and I stress good, printer will do that.. I have often cuddled up in bed with one of those Y2K fiche readers/magnifiers. Years ago, all our works were in that format, where you could download, microprint, and enjoy. We have converted all them since, though. Welcome! Sarah of the Librum

I hope you did not pay anything for those. I know for certain we have one of those, I think both. http://www.librum.us (the development site)(some portions are pay-as-you-go, gotta keep the 'doors open'). Look at the free search engine! http://www.icsarchive.org (the freebie site) Look at the paperback shelf! And point that 'handy' significant other into the 'blue books', 'tp', and 'ref' sections. You will not see them for a while. The real 'gem' of the ICS collection, in my opinion, is the five volume Womens Institute of Cookery, 1905, in the Reference section. Enjoy... Sarah of the Librum.

Anarchy, 'good' thoughts? Phoebe, I just looked at that link again. Yes, sketchy. The plans were more detailed. But he should get the ideas. Our copy of those plans were returned to Mother. Sorry. We did that with a lot of Mother materials over the years. If he needs more detail, perhaps if you contact Heidi at Mother, she might remember what they did with them. Sarah of the Librum

I do not know why the system did not give me notice you posted, Cat. Sorry. Just stumbled across it. You are most welcome!

Ummm... Maybe. Philbe, look for the *OLD* Mother Earth News plans to convert a hot water heater to an trash crankcase oil burner. These will not work today, as automotive oils now have anti-scald additives. The original plans showed how to break out the water heaters in a way that one could not tell they were modified. They did have a 'hidden safe' built into the bottom. Lockable and insulated. The idea was to have a place to hold the 'starter' alcohol safe from the heat. I would try to the 'journeytoforever.org' site to find upgraded plans, but these plans cost money, and do not show the 'hidden' modifications, but might give you some ideas... Sarah of the Librum.

Stepping in gingerly here... "sweet water" is naturally (not by heat) dried (dessicated) stevia leaves, whole but crushed, put and brewed sun tea style, in a sun tea bottle. When brewed, transfer to another container, filtering through a coffee filter. Over steeping gives that 'yuck' taste. Not removing the leaves does that also. Leaves must be harvested pre or post bloom, not during. I do not have the tables handy on the days before or after, but it averages 14 days in this growth zone. A light citrus taste, closer to mountain dew than sprite, very thirst quenching, but very mild. If you are used to sodas or southern sweet iced teas, you may not appreciate the mildness. The trick is the dessication. You want to keep the oils, but they tend to 'cook off' first. I do mine in the dry sun tea bottles, sealed, letting the sun do the job. Some English friends do theirs in zip lock bag. Yuck. A tidbit to the diabetics and EMTs here. Stevia contains natural glucocides, but in very small quantities. There is actually a sub species developed just for those glucocides. (Note: glucocies are not steviacides, steviacides are the false sweetnings.). There is a emergency use (very powerful) powdered form. They have yet to get the ratio of meter reading to quantity worked out consistently. It is NOT an insulin, but our EMTs will use it when a persons blood sugar is above 400 mg/dl, and they need to get that down in less than an hour. That is right, less than an hour. Normally 20 minutes. They have the syringes pre-prepped with 10 units (300 on the meter). What I have yet to work out is long term storage of the dessicated leaves. I am experimenting with tinctures and the like. Another tidbit for the poster who said their family has issues with stevia. In these parts we have a lot of folks genetically prone to sudden onset 'grand mal' type 1 diabetes. These people often (greater than 80%, but do not have a tested/approved figure) have a allergy like reaction to stevia. To this person I say to check out 'MSS', Mennonite Somatype Syndrome, (but not just for them, Native Americans are also documented) and at their next check, have the blood work done to see if they are having retention issues with potassium, phosphorus, and perhaps magnesium. That is MSS. It will cause a hard type 1 grand mal diabetes onset if not treated with supplements. Here the doctors will normally prescribe "PHOS-NaK' in a hospital environment, but not prescribe outside such a facility, as each packet is 10% rda of potassium, and 10% over can be fatal. Sarah