44 THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT

characters a second, or approximately 300 pages per minute. The COM
also records information on film in the same format and sequence as
the computer mechanical printer. Its major advantages are high record-
ing speed, elimination of paper copies, and the ability to code the
microfilm for visual or mechanical retrieval.

The decision to adopt a records system using computer output
microfilming necessitated a number of changes before it could become
operative. The computer programs, designed for printing paper copies,
had to be modified for printing directly on microfilm. Arrangements
were made with a commercial service bureau for the conversion of
the magnetic tapes to film. Microfilm duplicating equipment had to
be secured that would enable the Records Management staff to dupli-
cate the COM film quickly and in the number of copies desired. These
changes were accomplished early in the year and the record program
became fully operative.

This is a successful program. The computer time formerly required
to prepare paper copies of the enforcement reports as well as the cost
of the reports has been reduced substantially. On a monthly basis the
COM program saves the Gasoline Tax Division twenty-eight hours of
computer time and reduces its data processing costs by $776. The
reports are updated weekly, instead of monthly, increasing the number
of pages produced by 126,000. The rental of a Kalvar microfilm
duplicator for our use by the Gasoline Tax Division also has enabled
us to quickly provide the microfilm copies in the quantity needed.
Thus the enforcement reports are now prepared weekly and have
proven valuable in collecting taxes on motor fuel used by large trailer-
trucks operating on State highways and in accelerating the detection
of deliberate violations of the motor carrier laws. In addition, more
than a dozen other periodic reports used in the offices of the Gasoline
Tax Division are now being printed directly on microfilm. All of the
microfilm is coded to facilitate retrieval.

The success of the Gasoline Tax program led to a search for
other applications. We conducted a number of seminars and demon-
strations for potential users of computer output microfilming in the
State government with emphasis on data processing personnel. This
educational effort soon resulted in the conversion to microfilm of the
Income Tax Division's alphabetical index to income tax returns on
a current basis. Again, we provided multiple copies of the file for dis-