Conducting research in Washington, DC or College Park, MD Research Rooms in 2011? Please take note of the new policy on the use of locking bags for removing reproductions, personal notes, and other papers from the Research Center. When researchers exit the research room, they will have personal property inspected by National Archives research room staff. Copies of records, notes, personal books, papers and media will be placed in a locking document security bag, eliminating the need for a second security check of papers on your way out of the building. We appreciate your cooperation as we implement this new policy; with your help we can keep the records secure for all researchers. For more information about the new security procedures, please visit our website.
Great Idea – one that should have been implemented a long time ago and should be in place at any museum, library, genealogy, or historical society. Sad to say it even has to be a part of a safety necessity. Our state historical society stopped allowing more than paper and pencil brought into the genealogical section of the library 15 years ago. Something I am sure was implemented due to the disappearance of records.
Will staff in Archives 1 finding aid room have a key to the locked bags? At times I find something new + useful in my research upstairs and take it to the finding aids room to follow up. Thank you.
Hi Peggy,
The information below is from Rebecca Crawford, who oversees the operation of the A1 Microfilm Research Room.
Currently the staff in the research rooms can not open the green bags once they are closed. Please inform the staff if you need to take papers from one research room to another. In this case the staff will stamp the papers to identify them as your personal property. Any other papers will be locked up and will be inaccessible until you leave the facility.
Rebecca Crawford NWCC1 Archives Specialist