Howdy gang: Microfiche viewers are just that. Now if you are indifferent to the aspect of causing damage to borrowed films or rented films then this note will not deter you from spite. Ideally, if you would like to view the microfilms from whatever source you will find that five, ten years from now the microfilm will look just as good as the the day your received it. The correct viewer is the ticket. I have seen good film drawn through the two glass plates in a microfiche reader and have seen the carvings and scrapes left on the film. Using a cheaper reader as possible is a crummy way to treat the film. It is bad enough to see what someone can do to microfilms in the federal archives with the right equipment and they manage to destroy the film over a period of time.(g) Sadly, too many have the attitude that as long as it is not mine who cares. I got my information and the other guy can do the best he can to do the same. There is nothing as ugly as looking at the census page for Aunt Maude and Uncle Clarence and find a nice wide scratch over the data and you are left holding an empty bag because someone before you didn`t care to be careful with the film. There are machines out there that have the ability to read microfiche and/or microfilm roll film. They have the rewind capability for 16mm and 35mm film viewing and a seperate microfiche table to view all the microfiche your heart desires. There are many companies that sell the microfiche OR microfilm readers and they will ship to your home or business. And they are companies who sell the microfiche/microfilm readers that will also ship to the address you specify. With the right viewing tool you can rent the microfiche or microfilm to view in your home at leisure and you will be able to send it back when finished knowing that it is going back in the first class shape you received it in. >From time to time there are many listings of sites that cite plans to build readers out of common garbage material to make readers, printers, developers, and what not. If I have offended anyone with my thoughts on the subject; you might need to clean up your act. You may be giving the genealogy community a bad name. Take care and best wishes to all. And happy hunting. As always, the search continues... John Michael O`Melia 13jo36@BellSouth.net