The Archives has four facilities for the storage of permanent records, the Hall of Records in Annapolis and adjunct warehouses in Glen Burnie, Linthicum and Hanover. Lack of space in the Annapolis facility means that most record transfers must be housed in the warehouses.

Preparing Records for Transfer

Boxes or volumes should be clearly identified with the information contained in the inventory worksheet. If preliminary inventories received are not in an acceptable format, the transferring agency will be liable for the cost incurred by Archives staff for conversion to an acceptable format.

The descriptions of records should be at the unit level, one record entry for each box or volume to be transferred. The description should be sufficient to facilitate retrieval of the materials: series title as designated by the records retention schedule, box or volume number, date of contents, and file numbers or general description of contents. All descriptions of materials shall be furnished before the records are transferred. 

Bound volumes require no additional containerization for transfer to the Archives. Flat files must be boxed using one cubic foot capacity record center boxes available from Maryland Correctional Enterprises (formerly State Use Industries) 410-540-5454.  DO NOT OVER-FILL BOXES when packing. Materials received in containers not compatible with Archives shelving will not be accepted and will be returned to the transferring agency at its expense.

Arranging for the Transfer

Before Records transfers can occur the Records Condition Assessment Form and Preliminary Inventory Worksheet Form must be submitted electronically, as an email attachment. Submit these forms to: msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov

The Archives will solicit estimates from vendors familiar with transporting records. The transferring agency is responsible for all costs for delivery and shelving of records.

For further information contact:
Kevin Swanson, Interim Director, Record Transfers & Space Management (410) 260-6450,  e-mail:  msa.helpdesk@maryland.gov