Our local Family History Center has a folder with a yellow transparency, a light blue one, a pink one and maybe a red one in it - one color might enhance one roll, a different color might enhance a different roll. All of their microfilm readers have adjustments to make the size of the print larger and darker. I have a $5 plastic magnifying glass that has an even more magnifying circle within the glass and it has a battery powered light. Works miracles. And maybe goes thru the metal detector at the court house. And I always try to make sure I have decent light where ever I go to transcribe original records. Ask if it's ok to move lamps around if you need more light. Dorothy -----Original Message----- From: Medlin <medlincar@email.msn.com> To: IL-CENTRAL-L@rootsweb.com <IL-CENTRAL-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, May 25, 2000 7:19 PM Subject: Re: [IL-CENTRAL] Aging Eyes Reading Aging Records Sometimes a piece of yellow paper on a microfilm "table" helps. Also, if you can make a copy on a copier, i.e. newspaper, that can make it easier to read. Then there are magnifying pages, lens and young friends!!!! Hang in there! Carolyn ----- Original Message ----- From: Cheryl Rothwell <LoganCty@mindspring.com> To: <IL-CENTRAL-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, May 25, 2000 6:26 PM Subject: [IL-CENTRAL] Aging Eyes Reading Aging Records > How many of you have arms which have grown too short to read that tiny > print? Reading glasses just don't seem to cut it sometimes, particularly > with old records and tiny print. I've talked about this with other > genealogists and the problem is not unique. Unfortunately none of us are > getting any younger. > > I have volunteered to type up Civil War rosters from the Adjutant General's > Report for ILGenWeb -- and I can't read them. Others complain about problems > with microfilm, old newspapers, etc. > > Does anyone have some things that work to solve this problem? > > Cheryl Rothwell > LoganCty@mindspring.com > > > ==== IL-CENTRAL Mailing List ==== > Your donations to RootsWeb makes this all possible. Find out more! > http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html > ==== IL-CENTRAL Mailing List ==== List problems? First, read the Welcome Message that you received when you subscribed. Feel free to contact Cheryl Rothwell, list administrator with questions concerning this list! mailto: LoganCty@mindspring.com

I think light is critical. For home I use halogen bulbs for close work. I have found those 'true' light lights which are used for brightening up the light deprived northlands in winter also help a lot. I no longer live in the north but I use those lights year round in the kitchen fixtures. I suggested to one person to obtain those little feet you put between the glass top and the table to slightly elevate the magnifying page above the sheet -- she tried it and it works. I am hopeful this will solve my problem with the Civil War rosters. Speaking of the rosters, the ILGenWeb Civil War Project is always looking for folks to type up rosters and other items, donate photos, etc. The main site is at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/index.htm The link for volunteer information is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilcivilw/email.html Cheryl Rothwell LoganCty@mindspring.com