46 THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT

however, until a sufficient volume of work is obtained to permit the
Division to provide this service for State agencies.

Although participation in the development and implementation
of the records systems described above required considerable time and
effort, progress also was made in our other programs. Most of these
programs have been described in detail in previous reports and infor-
mation relating to them for this year can be found in the statistical
part of this report. However, it seems appropriate to comment on at
least two areas.

For several years our facilities for the storage of semi-current
records of State agencies in Baltimore and Annapolis have been inade-
quate. The problem had become especially serious in our Baltimore
Record Center because of the growth in the number and size of the
agencies located there and the ever increasing volume of their records.
Many agencies, faced with the need for additional office and file space,
requested authority to transfer more current records to the Center.

In an effort to assist these agencies, additional shelving was
secured and installed. Records schedules were reviewed and the reten-
tion period for records was shortened when practical. Small groups
of records with low rates of reference were transferred to the already
crowded center in Annapolis. These measures, however, provided only
limited and temporary relief. Requests for additional storage space in
Baltimore were given sympathetic attention and we were assured that
space would be provided in the plans for the future expansion of the
Baltimore State Office Building Complex, but additional space could
not be made available for our immediate needs.

Fortunately, near the end of Fiscal Year 1968 the Old Annapolis
Armory which had been used by the Income Tax Division became
available. At our request, the Board of Public Works assigned the
main floor of the Armory to us to supplement our existing records
storage areas. Shelving was purchased from the State Use Industries
and the records of a number of State agencies which had been housed
in the Baltimore Record Center were transferred to the Armory.

The acquisition of the Armory has increased our records storage
capability from approximately 21,000 cubic feet to 30,000 cubic feet
and has eased the records storage problems. However, this is only a
temporary solution. The Armory is scheduled to be razed sometime in