important records, and these films have been moved immediately to
relative safety in Western Maryland. We have also redoubled our
efforts to make photo-copies of essential county records so that the
existence of two copies of such records might obviate the necessity of
taking extraordinary measures for the protection of the original.

Prior to this year the publications of the Hall of Records have
been confined to annual reports of the Archivist and mimeographed
finding media. In spite of the special difficulties which have obtained
during the past year, we have been able to publish two full-size volumes:
Calendar of Maryland State Papers No. 1: The Black Books and
Catalogue of Archival Material, Hall of Records. If conditions per-
mit we shall continue to publish other works which have as their goal
the description and analysis of Maryland records.

The Hall of Records is fortunate in having adopted the lamination
process of preserving and repairing records since the chiffon which we
formerly used for this purpose is now altogether unobtainable. It is
not certain, however, that the cellulose acetate which we now use will
be available for civilian use in the future, but in any case we have
gained a full year by the change.

Work on indexes and other finding media has continued although
at a much slower pace than during the last few years because of the
loss of NYA and WPA assistance. During the immediate future we
shall have to rely for this type of work on our own staff so that the
extraordinary progress of the last few years cannot be continued. But
perhaps this should not be too great a disappointment. Institutions such
as ours must expect to suffer in periods of war. It is right and just
that we pause and make way for the tremendous task which faces the
Nation.

Respectfully submitted,

MORRIS L. RADOFF,

Archivist

HALL OF RECORDS,
Annapolis, Maryland