ARCHIVIST OF THE HALL OF RECORDS 13

since there is no certainty that they will not reappear alter the war,
plans have been made for the immediate utilization of whatever white-
collar workers may be made available to us at that time.

EMERGENCY PROTECTION OF RECORDS

We have during the last fiscal year completed all the measures we
had planned for the wartime protection of our records, Every one of
our series of major importance has now been microfilmed and the films
transported to a relatively safe depository in Western Maryland. We
had thought it advisable, however, as we speeded our program during
the first months after Pearl Harbor, to skip those volumes in each series
of which copies existed either at the Hall of Records or elsewhere and
we had also passed over some of the indexes. We are now filming
these few volumes in order that a complete set on film might he in
existence. The Archivist feels that such a collection should not remain
at the Hall of Records after the war but should be deposited at some
place where it might be used while still functioning as insurance against
the loss of the originals. Several likely places of deposit come to mind:
The Huntington Library, the British Museum, or perhaps the library
of whatever supranational organization is set up after the war. Doubt-
less the members of the Commission will have thought of other centers
of research which might benefit by such an acquisition.

In addition to the completion of the microfilm project, further
details of which may be found in the section on "Microfilm," the Hall
of Records also purchased a large number of odd-sized dustproof and
waterproof boxes into which individual volumes might be packed rapidly
and moved away should the danger from enemy action become critical.
While the Archivist feels that there is no longer danger of destruction
from such action, he still believes it prudent to reserve these special-
purpose boxes for the time being. When all danger has passed they
may be used for the storing of loose records.

The Maryland Committee for the Conservation of Cultural Re-
sources, which was active during the last fiscal year, found as the
military situation improved, that there was little for it to do. As Chair-
man the Archivist did not feel it necessary to call a meeting during the
year. After August 31, 1943, the sponsorship of the National Com-
mittee for the Conservation of Cultural Resources will be withdrawn
since on that date the National Resources Planning Board, which has
supported it, will cease to exist.