24 FIRST TO FOURTH ANNUAL REPORTS

Boxes........................................... 2,767.00

Exhibition Cases, 2............................... 360.00

Press for Repair Room, Oasis...................... 17.60

Fiscal Year 1938-1939.

Microfilm Reader................................ 283.00

Photostat Camera, Recorder...................... 1,660.00

Steel Shelves 1,000............................... 1,450.00

No account has been taken of equipment which is usually con-
sidered general office equipment, for example, typewriters, filing cab-
inets for office use, etc.

PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL RELATIONS

As was to have been expected, the first year of operation of the
Hall of Records and to a lesser extent the following two or three
years found many visitors coming to inspect the building. These
visitors were for the most part citizens of the State of Maryland
who came to see what they had purchased with their tax money.
In addition there were archivists, librarians and scholars who came
to assess, to compare, and for the most part, to admire. How many
there were cannot now be known except approximately. During the
first year of operations there were over 4,000 visitors, a larger num-
ber than in any subsequent year. These visitors used 4,000 items, a
number which on the average would indicate about 1,000 research-
ers. It may be guessed, therefore, that 3,000 persons came during
the first year as tourists, more or less specialized.

These visits were encouraged by Dr. Robertson who had, along
with an extraordinary interest in archival work, a great pride in the
Hall of Records. He did much to publicize the work of the Hall in
the public press and by speaking before any group which might show
some interest in the matter. In addition, he prepared descriptions
of the Hall of Records and its work for a good many professional
and semi-professional journals (see Bibliography). During the first
year of operations, Dr. Robertson spoke before the Maryland His-
torical Society, the University Club, the College Women's Club and
the Navy Women's Club. The next year found him speaking, among
others, to the Coin Club of Baltimore, the Rotary Club of Annapolis
and the Eastern Shore Society of Baltimore City. On June 18, 1937