SSC/HSC REQUEST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP10T01930R000200080008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2012
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: February 3, 1976
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/19: CIA-RDP10T01930R000200080008-2
3 FEB 1976
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Review Staff
SUBJECT: SSC/HSC Request
REFERENCE: Memo for SSC, Subject: Policy and Guidelines
for Microform Production and Storage, dated
28 January 1976
1. Before commenting specifically on the questions
raised in referent memo, I feel it important to provide a
perspective for understanding details of the Agency's micro-
graphic activities.
2. Micrographic technology, as is perhaps well known,
which involves basically the miniaturization of documents
has been used widely in the intelligence profession for
years. It is an old technology which continues to be useful
operationally, albeit classically, as part of our tradecraft.
However, through the years and especially during the incip-
ient period of the Agency, microfilm was used more generally
as strictly a medium for the long-term storage of paper
records, some of which were deteriorating and others to
reduce their great bulk since microfilm offers the extra-
ordinary advantage of approximately 98% space savings.
Thus, up until only recelitly--about the last half dozen
years--microfilm activity in the Agency was limited primarily
to its use in operations and quite passively as a records
storage medium.
3. With the introduction of computer output microfilm
(COM) technology around 1969, a cost effective way was
discovered to take output directly from the computer (either
roll film and later microfiche) without any paper inter-
mediary. This signalled the dawning of the age of microfilm
as an active information handling medium. And since about
that time the Agency has witnessed an ever increasing volume
of microforms produced each year.
4. The Deputy Director for Administration coordinates
Agency micrographic activities and provides a framework
within which this coordination can take place. Thus, an
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Agency Micrographics Program was formalized to enhance
information handling by applying micrographic technology
where feasible. The DDA, then, develops and conducts Agency
training courses on micrographics, establishes standards and
guidelines, disseminates Agency policy regarding the produc-
tion and use of microforms and equipment, and maintains an
Agency service facility for the conversion of either paper
records or computer produced magnetic tapes to microforms.
S. The records management channels of the Agency
generally are used in the evaluation process of whether or
not to implement new micrographic applications. Depending
on the application, of course, feasibility studies and
systems analyses and designs are undertaken to insure the
development of an optimum micrographic application. In some
instances this can be a protracted and complicated exercise
as was the case when the Directorate of Operations acquired
the WALNUT system in the late 1950's, a unique high-reduction
photographic document storage and retrieval system. Likewise,
a very detailed study was made by the Directorate of Intelli-
gence years ago which culminated in a decision to convert
its intelligence reference collection to the aperture card
microform. In other cases involving the more routine adminis-
trative files held by various components across the Agency,
paper records have been converted to microforms primarily to
accomplish a specific objective: to conserve space, to
provide easier and/or more rapid access to the information,
or to provide a back-up or vital record copy. When microfilm
conversions take place, records officers insure that the
records control schedules are amended and that there is
proper disposition of the paper records.
6, With the above as a backdrop, let me now address
the specific questions raised in reference. First, the
Directorate of Administration and its predecessor organiza-
tions in the early years used a 40 year minimum retention
period as a break even point for determining when files
could be considered candidates for microfilming. This rule
of thumb was later shortened to 12 years, but as microfilm
became more accepted as an active information handling tool,
there has been a tendency to convert paper records to micro-
film that have even shorter life cycles for the reasons
listed above. Also, data from the computer is being output
directly on film and in many cases, of course, this data may
have a life cycle of only a few weeks or a month before it
is updated, as is the case with the Agency payroll and
certain other personnel and financial reports.
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7. Second, the guidelines for what materials are
placed on microfilm or microfiche are broad to include just
about anything that can be photographed. However, because
of the inherent difficulty of high resolution microfilm to.
capture well grey scales in tonal images, photographs, color
materials, and the like may be excluded. The attitude of the
user relative to his acceptance of the microform as an
adequate substitute for his paper records is our prevailing
guideline.
8. Third,microfilm/microfiche records are stored in
P o ert Mana ement Regulations
or in an office area
depending on their use and desired accessibility. Access to
them regardless of where they are stored is subject to the
approval of the custodian or originating office on a need-
to-know basis, and in any case access controls are the same
for microform records as they are for paper records.
9. Finally, the Directorate of Administration has no
microform records relating to Project MKULTRA.
Assistant for Information, DDA
STAT
STAT
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STAT
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