There is also a collection of English laws, as well as current legal peri-
odicals and journals. The library also has a number of rare books in-
cluding the four volumes of the Audubon subscription edition and the
most complete file of the Maryland Gazette now in existence. All to-
gether there are approximately 112,000 volumes on the shelves of the
library. The library is also a depository for publications of the State
government, and all State officials and State agencies are required to
place in the library one copy of all reports and publications. The
library also acts as the distributing agency for the Journals of the
General Assembly, the Laws of Maryland, the Maryland Reports and
the Annotated Code (Code 1951, Art. 41, sees. 121, 132..147). The
reading rooms are open to the public Monday through Friday.

Appropriations 1953 1954
General Fund $30,498 $32,235
Staff: 4

COMMISSIONER OF THE LAND OFFICE

Harry L. Harcum, Commissioner, 1955
Malcolm W. Waring, Administrative Assistant

Hall of Records, Annapolis Telephone: Colonial 3-3451

The Commissioner of the Land Office is appointed by the Governor,
with the consent of the Senate, to hold office during the term of the
Governor (Const. 1867, Art. VII, sec. 14). The Land Office keeps rec-
ords pertaining to boundaries of land, including records of all war-
rants, certificates and patents for land from the settlement of the Prov-
ince of Maryland in 1634, or abstracts of deeds from 1786 to the
present time, and abstracts of mortgages and releases from 1900 to
June 1, 1949. Every clerk, after he records any deed, mortgage,
release of mortgage or lease of real estate must make or have made
a 35 mm. microfilm copy of every such record and transmit it to
the Commissioner of the Land Office at the end of each year. The
Commissioner hears and determines all disputes which may arise
concerning the validity of surveys. The Land Office is now engaged in
making, filing, and recording plats for current subdivisions of land;
copies of such plats are sent to the Supervisors of Assessment upon
request. All plats filed with the Clerks of Courts before June I,
1945, are also being microfilmed by the Land Office. (Code 1951, Art.
17, sees. 69, 70, 73, 74; Art. 56, sees. 1-16, 18, 19, 25).

All land now included in the limits of the State of Maryland was
granted to Cecil, Lord Baltimore, in 1632. In 1680, there was estab-
lished a Land Office, and four years later "The Land Council". This
body was authorized to hear and determine all matters relating to
land. Four years later when Maryland became a crown colony, the
Land Office was closed. In 1715, after a long contest with the Gover-
nor and Council, the Secretary and the Assembly, the Lord Proprietor
emerged with his rights restored, and the Land Office was reopened.
After the Revolution, the State assumed the control of the Land
Office (Acts Feb. sess. 1777, ch. 15). From 1781 until 1841, there
was a Land Office for the Western Shore and another for the Eastern
Shore. The Constitution of 1851 created the office of the Commis-
sioner of the Land Office.

Appropriations 1953 1964
General Fund $33,995 $27,720
Staff: 7