The HRAF microfiche files were issued to member institutions from the 1950s to the early 1990s. This guide, downloadable in PDF format, was published in 1974 and was used to explain the nature and structure of the HRAF microfiche files.  Although the guide focuses on the HRAF microfiche files, it provides relevant information in understanding the nature of the current format — the online eHRAF World Cultures database.

Topics in Nature and Use of the HRAF Files: A Research and Teaching Guide (49 MB; 49 Pages) include:

Part I.  The Nature of the HRAF Files: An Overview
Part II. Study and Research Applications of the HRAF Files
Part III. Teaching Applications of the HRAF Files
Part IV. How to Use the HRAF Files: Principles and Techniques
Part V. Organization of the HRAF Files
Part VI. Toward A  Comprehensive, Cultural Information System