28 SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT

MARYLAND MANUAL

The Maryland Manual for 1951-1952, the third edition to be prepared
by the Hall of Records, was issued January 18, 1952. In addition to the
revisions necessary to bring the Manual up-to-date, several new features
were incorporated. These included a road map of the State which was pre-
pared and adapted for use in the Manual by the State Roads Commission,
a new map showing state institutions, parks and forests prepared by the
Department of Public Improvements, photographs of state buildings and
highway improvements—several of which had never before been published,
tables showing the 1950 Primary Election Returns and expanded informa-
tion on state-aided institutions.

As in 1950, a brochure of the photographs of the members of the
General Assembly was prepared and distributed prior to the issuance of the
Manual.

CIRCULATION

Since the outbreak of the Korean War and the consequent interruption
of the studies of many potential graduate students, we have noted a de-
cline in the number of visitors to the Hall of Records. Although this
decline was in no wise comparable with that of the World War II years,
it was palpable none the less. In two years it amounted to twenty percent.
We are glad to report that a turn seems to have come during fiscal year
1952 and that the number of visitors during the year exceeded any other
with the exception of 1949.

Totals of visitors for the last three years are as follows:

Fiscal year 1950 .......................... 1,143

Fiscal year 1951 .......................... 1,050

Fiscal year 1952 ........................... 1,183

More encouraging even than the increase in the number of visitors was
the greater use of the records. The total number of items circulated exceeded
that of any previous year, and it included 616 reels of microfilm, an indica-
tion that our ever-growing collection of film is finding appreciative users.