Government Information Collection: Microfiche

Microfiche is a format for displaying information in microprint. Reports, data, graphs, and other print materials have been photographed and printed on transparent film that can be read using special viewers that light and magnify the images. 

Microfiche was a popular way of distributing information is a pre-digital era because it allows libraries to store a lot of information in a small space! The microfiche collection in Government Information contains over 450,000 individual titles. That's almost as much information as we have in half of the compact shelves! The Federal government published its last microfiche publications in 2022. This collection is complete and will not be added to.

Here's an example of what microfiche looks like:

Fiche are commonly stored in envelopes. Across the top of the fiche, you will find the call number on the left followed by the title. On the top right, you will find information about the fiche including the number of fiche per title ( # of #) and the total page count of the document (P. # - #). The microfiche pages are photographed in negative (clear text on a black background). The final image will indicate that it is the "end" of the document. 

Microfiche are described in the Library Catalog. A microfiche item will have "Microform" in the title and will say "microfiche" in the Carrier field. For an example, see Growing jobs in rural America [microform] : hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, first session, July 14, 2011.

The microfiche in the Government Information Collection are organized under the SuDoc call number system. The first SuDoc call number in the drawer is provided in a label on the front. There are 50 cabinets of microfiche. The cabinets are to be read left to right when viewing them. SuDoc order starts in the top drawer, front left section, and then progresses back, over, and down the cabinet in SuDoc order. 

When you pull a microfiche out of the drawer, please use a placeholder card where it came from. Placeholder cards are available on top of the microfiche cabinets. 

Library staff will reshelve microfiche for you. Please place it in the designated bins on top of the cabinets or next to the microfiche viewers. 

To view the microfiche, insert the microfiche into the glass plate on the microfiche viewer. See instructions on the viewer. The "on"' button for the viewer light is on the front of the viewer stand. 

Slide the tray to navigate the document and display the report on the view screen. This is an easy way to quickly confirm if the document has the information you are looking for. 

USU Libraries has more advanced microfiche/microfilm scanners on the Second Floor where you can scan a microfiche document and email it to yourself. Feel free to take microfiche items from this area to the Second Floor microfilm area. 

For assistance, please see a library staff member. 

The Government Information Collection has microfiche publications from the following U.S. government agencies, bureaus, commissions, and entities: