Technology Changes Microfilm Usage

Over the last ten years, I have watched as usage of microfilm has changed on the 1st floor of Alden. When I began work down here, summers were especially busy with folks doing genealogical research. Ohio University Life-Long Learning offered summer courses in researching family history. These days, almost all of that information is available on-line and full text. There are websites that provide historical newspapers, birth and death records and other related information. The State of Ohio has centralized many of these records here. The Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints provides the largest family research database free of charge. Census records are also available on line. So, now folks are creating their family tree in the comfort of their homes or home libraries, as it is easier, faster and cheaper.