The Reference Services Department

OF THE MARYLAND STATE ARCHIVES

Report to the Hall of Records Commission

April 23, 2012

The Reference Services Department is the public face of the Maryland State Archives. Here, reference archivists are tasked with providing the citizens of the state a high level of responsive service, giving access to documents and information required for legal, administrative and historical purposes.

Working both directly with citizens who have come to the Searchroom, and by answering queries sent by US Mail, email and fax, Reference archivists complement the newer electronic resources, such as MDLANDREC.NET and online indices, in providing access to the collections of the Archives.

Their skills bridge the transition from the traditional, paper based Archives to the digital, Internet accessible repository of the future. That transition is well underway, yet extensive records re-formatting is yet to be performed.

There are times, though, that access to paper records is critical…

The Great RecessionAs access to the Internet grew in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the demand for in-person visits to the Archives began to shrink. Resources such as Ancestry.com and early efforts at records digitization offered researchers the ability to work from home. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 compounded the trend. Cultural heritage institutions throughout the United States saw attendance drop dramatically, and the Archives was no exception.

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But then came the financial crisis.

During difficult times the free public information resources, libraries and archives, see demand increase. Citizens need access to information for job searches, to documents for identification and security clearances, and even to inexpensive entertainment, such as reading, or compiling family history.

As the economy reeled and layoffs mounted, the Maryland State Archives took action to fill that need. Since 2002 and the state budget cuts caused by the brief recession in the wake of the September 11th attacks, the Archives had been closed for public research on Mondays and Tuesdays.

In January, 2009, without an increase in either staff or expense to the agency or the state, the Reference Services archivists re-opened the Searchroom on Tuesdays.

It was an immediate and continuing success.

Aggregate in-person usage of the Archives began an increase that continues to the present. While attendance has not recovered to the numbers seen in the late 1990s, the trendline is now clear.

Total visitation has increased 51% over the 2008 low.

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Circulation Desk staff have noted that demand for legal documentation is heaviest on Tuesday, probably in part to the pent up demand from the Monday closure.

Patrons come to the Archives to obtain divorce decrees, marriage certificates, paternity judgments, and legal name changes to document eligibility for Social Security, pensions, medical benefits and housing subsidies, for criminal history dispositions to clear employment background checks, and National Guard and discharge records for veterans’ benefits.

All of these government services grew in demand during the Recession, and the Archives made it simpler and easier for citizens to obtain critical documents needed to qualify for them.

While the other, traditional audiences (genealogists, scholars, attorneys and citizens in need of legal documentation) continue to utilize the Archives, the pro-active decision to re-open the building to the public the additional day has proven to be a true public service to persons affected by the Recession at a time when that service was required.

This service will never be completely quantified, but the staff of the Reference Services department can attest to the reality of that need. It has been their privilege to carry out their professional duties and assist their fellow citizens.

The Staff of the Reference Services Department

Victoria Allen – Reference ArchivistAlexander Jackson – Criminal History Research CoordinatorMelody Kraus – Reference ArchivistJoseph Leizear – Description CoordinatorMichael McCormick – DirectorNathaniel Miller – Reference ArchivistDante Morrison – ReceptionistJennifer Petrisko – Archival AssistantDaniel Ramirez – Searchroom CoordinatorRichard Richardson – Deputy State ArchivistJennifer Ruberti – Archival AssistantChristopher Schini – Deputy Director and Expungement OfficerDonald Williams – Legal Files Research Archivist