Around the same time when John Langan in Hollywood was envisioning aperture cards as an aid to filing and sorting film clips, others were envisioning the same idea as an aid to scientific references. Atherton Seidell is credited with the first published mention of the idea. (Sync: Another Atherton was involved in commercializing the Langan idea.)
In 1934 he worked with the reference library of the Dept of Agriculture, where they developed BiblioFilm. As far as I can tell this was NOT an aperture card, just a service to provide microfilms for condensed references.
Bibliofilm tried to manufacture and sell equipment to other libraries and businesses, along with making the photos and associating them with reference lists. As far as I can tell the manufacturing didn’t succeed but the service did.
From a 1935 report by the Ag Library:
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Probably the most promising apparatus which was shown … was a preliminary model of a copying camera being developed by the Folmer Graflex Corporation of Rochester NY. This camera is provided with an ingenious device which, by one operation and without a motor, makes a timed exposure and then winds the film for the next frame. The apparatus … can undoubtedly be built for a price which will be well within the means of practically all libraries and of many individuals who may desire to make their own film copies of publications.
It is expected that a magnifier adapted for direct reading, provided with a 10 power lers and a handle and shade for the eye not used , will shortly be available at $5.00.
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A later report summarized the success to date:
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In the annual report for 1935, it was stated that the purpose of the bibliofilm service was (1) to decrease interlibrary loans of books by supplying directly to individuals film copies of scientific articles, particularly those contained in periodicals, and (2) to extend the use of the resources of the Library to isolated workers without adequate library facilities. The statistics of interlibrary loans indicate that the first objective is being realized. In the fiscal year 1935, 1,798 books were lent out of town and 1,078 film copies were supplied, making a total of 2,876; whereas in the past fiscal year 1,566 books were lent outside of town and 2,206 film copies supplied . The number of film copies supplied in the past fiscal year, it will be noted, is greater than the number of interlibrary loans.
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All roads lead to Henry Wallace.
This project is yet another example of the overriding purpose of the New Deal. Following socialist principles, government was meant to be Productive and Profitable. (1) Improve the lives of people and small businesses. (2) Employ people. (3) Make a profit to improve and increase the services.
Most of the New Deal projects accomplished all three. The TVA and REA and BPA have continued serving and profiting, despite all the obstacles erected by corporatist Gaians.
US corporations since 1970, and US government since 1946, do the opposite. (1) Destroy small businesses and ruin the lives of people. (2) Disemploy all peasants. (3) Make a loss to evade taxes.
Polistra's Mill 