Maryland State Archives – Onsite Research Overview
With the exception of I think, two clients, every one of the clients who’ve asked me to go and conduct research for them, at the Maryland State Archives (MSA) Hall of Records, had no idea what conducting research onsite at the archives involves. That’s why, when making client estimates, I always also provide clients with an overview of conducting research onsite at the MSA Hall of Records. I include overviews with estimates to help clients better understand the basis of the estimates. Because conducting research at the MSA Hall of Records is unique in of itself, I think it makes for a great topic to chronicle.
First, you should know that the Maryland State Archives is the official permanent records depository for the State of Maryland. Officially, the Maryland State Archives is described as “the central depository for state government records of permanent value. Its holdings date from Maryland's founding in 1634, and include colonial and state executive, legislative, and judicial records; county probate, land, and court records; church records; business records; state publications and reports; and special collections of private papers, maps, photographs, and newspapers.”[1] I would add that the collections held by the MSA are even greater than the official description outlines by category. Because the collections encompass so much, and with new accessions constantly being added, there is a wide range of meaning to each of the words used in the official MSA description of its collection of records of permanent value.
While the MSA has a couple of other buildings/facilities, the main MSA location is the Hall of Records building located here in Annapolis, very near the State House and the surrounding office buildings of the Maryland State government. I live nearby, within an easy walk’s distance, and I have, over the years, conducted considerable research in the MSA Hall of Records search room. In fact, I’ve researched there so many times that I cannot even guess the number of my total visits or the total hours I’ve spent there, both personally and on the behalf of clients. The MSA Hall of Records in Annapolis does not charge anything to visit and use their public search room. The records kept by the MSA can be used for family history research and they are also used for certain legal research. The records collections include vital records, religious records, newspapers, maps, photographs and more. If a research topic is related to Maryland, there is probably a related record of some sort at the MSA Hall of Records.
Second, one thing most people who are not familiar with the MSA Hall of Records usually do not know, is the MSA Hall of Records does not look like, or operate like a traditional library. One cannot simply get a library card and then go directly to the books and records there, as can be done at most public libraries. Also, no one can check-out and take home anything from the collections kept there. While the MSA Hall of Records is open to the public, all visitors, even experienced and regular researchers must register upon arrival and are subject to certain rules and regulations while on the premises.
Many records in the collection are available electronically from the digital archives collection online or from electronic image files of old microfilms. There are no microfilm readers at the MSA Hall of Records because some time ago, almost all the negative images on each roll of microfilm were converted to electronic computer-accessible images. Converted microfilm images can be accessed and viewed using the electronic catalog computer stations located in the public search room at the MSA Hall of Records. The computer stations in the search room are all connected to a pair of shared public-use black and white laser printers and the MSA Hall of Records charges users $ one dollar per printed page.
To access original records not available on microfilm, record identification information and record storage location citations must first be found using the electronic catalog or paper file card catalogs in the public search room. Once a catalog reference to a record has been found, if the record is not available in the digital archives online or on converted microfilm, a written request form for each record item must be filled out and submitted to the MSA archivist staff. And no more than three record items at any one time, may be requested at any one time. Only members of the archivist staff at the MSA Hall of Records are allowed access to shelved records kept in the repository storage area. Per MSA Hall of Records policy, the archivist staff only pull form-requested records from the storage area, every half hour, at quarter-after and at quarter-of each hour between 8:45am and 3:45pm on weekdays. The MSA Hall of Records is also open on Saturdays, but on Saturday, researchers are limited and are only allowed to use the electronic catalog and the computers in the search room for access to the MSA collection of digital records and microfilms. Original records cannot be requested and will not be pulled on Saturdays.
Third, because of the policies surrounding public access to records, research at the MSA Hall of Records does takes time. Often, the time required to do research at the MSA Hall of Records is longer than most people realize. If a record is not available digitally or on microfilm, or in some cases where the electronically available images are not clear, there is always a period of wait time for a submitted original record access request form to be acted upon. Because it does take time to access original records, I always advise clients that a portion of the time detailed in a research estimate, includes accounting for the periods of time that will used in requesting access to and waiting for original documents to be pulled from controlled-access storage at the MSA Hall of Records. Additionally, per MSA Hall of Records policy, researchers are only allowed to have one record open at their assigned research desk at any one time. So, while three records can be requested at the same time, MSA archivist staff will only provide a researcher one of those records at a time, holding the others at the archivist staff desk for swap out when a researcher returns a record.
Because MSA policy makes research time consuming with periods of wait-time, to be as efficient as possible, all research efforts need to be planned-out in advance of physically going to the MSA Hall of Records. Finding the first, and subsequent needed record descriptions and locations online, prior to arrival helps. And once onsite at the Hall of Records in Annapolis, while waiting to for requested records to be pulled, wait-time can be used to further search the MSA computerized catalogs and paper card file catalogs for other record references needed next in a planned research effort. Knowledge of the collections is also key. Novice researchers take considerably longer than those with experience. Knowing which MSA collections contain certain types of records and knowing how to navigate the collection catalogs is also important to efficiency research.
Lastly, one should realize that records in the MSA collections dating to the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as many of records from the twentieth century, are all handwritten. Handwritten records take time to read because the cursive writing styles of the period can be difficult to decipher. Adding difficulty, is the actual usage of written words across the centuries. Certain words had different meanings then than they do now. Certain words and phrases were used in the past that are not used today or are used completely differently today. An experienced researcher understands the differences in word and phrase meanings and usage across the centuries. If you haven’t experienced ages old handwriting, you will be in for a surprise and it will take some time to read and comprehend what the writings and the meanings of the original authors.
Conducting research at the Maryland State Archives Hall of Records can be both rewarding and frustrating. There is a learning curve that initially can be difficult even for some experienced researchers. My hope is this overview provides you with a better picture and understanding of the MSA and what is involved relative to the collections there.
[1] https://msa.maryland.gov/
