I sent this information to several other mailing lists that I subscribe to and the response was overwhelming, so I thought I'd share the information with a few other lists. Just thought I'd pass some information on that might prove helpful to those interested in the purchase of a microfiche/microfilm reader. I was in the market for a reader myself so I could save some trips back and forth to the LDS center or library to view the same films over and over. I always felt like I was rushed and it always seemed that there were a line of people waiting to use the readers. I began looking around for one to buy for my home and found them to be very expensive for the amount of use it may get. Then someone suggested I look into the State surplus equipment. I live in the State of Maryland and they have a surplus warehouse open to the public for purchase of used state office equipment. Well I stopped by there recently and found that they had about 10 different machines for sale ranging from very large ones with attached printers to smaller desktop types. They ranged in price from $25 to $40. I purchased one of the smaller ones for $25 and it is absolutely perfect for home use. It was in very good condition and will suffice nicely for genealogy home use. I have already begun ordering microfilm rolls for about $10 each and hope to put together a collection of those I use most in a very short time. I'm not sure if all states have such a surplus warehouse, but it certainly is worth checking if you're looking for a good price on a used reader. Hope this proves to be of help to someone as it sure was a find for me. Good luck. I must caution you first, the machines that they have available are mostly MICROFICHE readers, but with a little ingenuity, they can be rigged to run microfilm rolls through as well. Most of them appeared to be in fairly good condition and you can plug and test them right on site. It might be a good idea to take a fiche/film along just to try out. Note, all sales are final, so what you get is what you live with! The State Surplus Warehouse in Maryland is located on Brockbridge Rd. in the Jessup area. From I-95, take Rt. 175 east to Brockbridge Rd. and turn right. Follow Brockbridge Rd. past the House of Corrections and the Women's Prison and you will eventually come to the Warehouse on the left side of the road. You can also access it from Rt. 32 by taking the Dorsey Run Rd. exit and following it around to Brockbridge, but it's a little more confusing. Hope this helps and good luck to you. Let me know if I can help you any further. Mike Kearney