a desk top microfilm reader and work station having a rectangular base enclosing a film housing and projection system . the base has a flat top surface which functions as an operator work surface and an image projection surface . a support arm rises vertically from the base and a hood is attached near the top of the support arm . there are illumination lamps and a mirror in the hood . the lamps illuminate the work surface and are turned off when a micro image is to be projected onto the image projection surface . the optical projection path from the projection system to the mirror in the hood and back to the projection surface is unenclosed .