It’s crazy how much the predictions made about microfilm in the 1970s resemble the buzz about e-readers and e-books today…but I don’t know of any portable microfilm readers that ever really hit the consumer market with a splash the way the Kindle/Nook/etc. have. I guess they just weren’t “cuddly” enough.
“Instead of circulating microfiche like books, tomorrow’s libraries will duplicate them for you to take away and read on your own portable microfilm reader!”
-Joseph Becker in The First Book of Information Science. United States Atomic Energy Commission Office of Information Services, 1973. p. 80
“A portable microfilm reader is certain to promote increased use of all forms of microfilm in schools and in the home. Designers believe it should be lightweight, about the size of a book, possess a good internal light source, have sharp focusing, and above all be a little ‘cuddly’ so that people will feel as comfortable reading microfilm as they do curled up in a chair reading a book.”
– Becker (1973) p. 76.
more “Men who plan beyond tomorrow” on the Technologizer
“At some point, we might actually see everyone on the tube reading his paper with a pocket microfiche reader.” – “A New Kettle of Fiche”. The New Scientist, Feb. 24, 1972
Dave,
I checked out your site and videos – interesting work! Thanks for your comment.
Tricia
Hi Tricia that’s a really interesting range of sources on microfilm. I’m a UK based artist also investigating microfiche in a number of works, most recently:
http://www.babelfiche.net
Maybe you might take a look when you have a moment? also visit the ‘Ideas’ section on the site for some more fun microfiche history!
All the best
Dave