ARCHIVIST OF THE HALL OF RECORDS 17

quickly, but we ought to be able to report substantial accomplishments in the
new fiscal year.

The Archivist reviewed Modern Archives Principles and Techniques
by T. R. Schelienberg for the March 1957 issue of The Mississippi Valley
Historical Review.

AIDS TO RESEARCH

The accumulation of records, especially of important governmental rec-
ords, creates an immediate demand for finding aids. During the last few years
because of the influx of county probate and land records, primarily on micro-
film, it has been necessary for us to abandon the preparation of name-card
indexes which have proved so useful in the past especially to genealogists. It
has taxed our resources simply to acquire copies of volume indexes already in
use in the counties. Last year we were almost exclusively occupied with pro-
bate indexes; this year, with land. In those cases where the beginning date of
the index listed below is not the same as the date of erection of the county,
the searcher is advised that the indexes to the earlier records were already
present in one form or another at the Hall of Records.

We were fortunate in finding two fairly complete indexes to parish
registers which we were permitted to microfilm, but obviously this is only
a small beginning in the task of providing finding aids to our large collection
of church records. We hope to begin this year to prepare other parish indexes.
A general index to the vital statistics in our church records is our ultimate
goal; but v/e are quite aware that hov/ever worthwhile such a project, the
cost in time and money will be very great.

Anne Arundel County, Index to Land Records, 1839-1939, 19 volumes,
microfilm

Baltimore City, Index to Marriage License Records (male to female only),
1851-1885, 85,000 cards, also a microfilm copy of the cards

Baltimore County, Index to Land Records, 1851-1950, 163 volumes,
microfilm

Caroline County, Index to Plats, 1790-1937, 1 volume

Prince George's County, Index to Land Records, 1840-1949, 21 volumes,
microfilm

Queen Anne's County, Index to Land Records, 1706-1945, 12 volumes,
microfilm