Citing Historical Societies microfilm collections

When citing a microfilm held by a historical society what is the order of the elements?

For example:

Carver County Historical Society, microfilm roll 61, Waconia, Minnesota

or

CCHS microfilm roll 61, Carver County Historical Society, Waconia, Minnesota

or

Carver County Historical Society, Waconia, Minnesota, microfilm roll 61

 

Ann Gilchrest

Submitted byEEon Fri, 05/25/2012 - 16:43

Ann,

The issue of "order" is, of course, one that hinges upon clarity. Did the Carver County Historical Society create the microfilm itself--as, for example, a preservation copy of manuscript material that it owns? Or is this the cataloging number that the society assigned to film it obtained from elsewhere?

Submitted byagilchreston Fri, 05/25/2012 - 19:35

In reply to by EE

In this case the microfilm was purchased from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul the numbering is the societies in house number. Sometime in the early 1980's the diocese made microfilms of all the Catholic Church registers in it's diocese. Then several years ago a new Bishop was assigned to the Archdiocese and he decreed that the public would no longer be allowed to reasearch at the diocese Archives. He even went so far as to ask that the microfilms be given back from several of the Historical Societies that had purchased copies of the microfilms. I am not aware of any of the societies returning the films they had purchased. The original registers are still in the parish offices, but you are no longer allowed to look at them. Sometimes they will copy a record that is before 1 January 1925. But most of the offices I have been to are extreamly reluctent. The Archives will look up a record for you at a cost of $26.75 an hour and only if it is before 1 January 1925.

This is probably more information than you needed!

Ann

Submitted byEEon Sat, 05/26/2012 - 11:21

Ann, citing preservation film used offsite can be tricky, and your follow-up check was a good one to make. EE 3.22, 7.20, 7.22 and 9.38, among others, demonstrate several options--with explanatory discussions--from which you can work out the details that best describe your situation.