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U.S. National Archives and Records Administration: National Archives

Research access guide for the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.

General Information

Facility: U.S. National Archives at College Park
Address:
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
Phone: (301) 837-2000
FAX: N/A
Email: email
Hours: Hours of operation

About the Archives:

Constructed in 1994, the College Park campus of the National Archives is informally known as Archives II, and serves as the second main facility for NARA. Due to its close proximity, it often collaborates with the University of Maryland on joint initiatives.

How to Use the Facility

Using the Collections

All researchers at any NARA archives facility must present a research card every time they visit. To obtain a research card, users show an official photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.), complete a short form, and view a researcher orientation presentation. The process takes 15-20 minutes on average. Once acquired, researcher cards are valid for one year, and can be renewed.

Records are pulled for use in the research room at specific times, Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit their pull times webpage.

Photocopying and Scanning

Photocopying stations are self service. All items to be photocopied must first be shown to a staff member for authorization. For cost, please see their fee schedule. NARA offers standard photocopiers, color photocopiers, overhead photocopiers, microfilm printers, and audiovisual dubbing stations for researcher use. Oversized document copiers are staff use only.

Allowable Tools

Researchers are allowed to bring in their own personal laptop or notebook computers, typewriters, tape recorders, tape decks, cameras, and other audiovisual equipment. Personal flatbed scanners without automatic document feeders are allowed, but require staff approval before being used.

Summary of Collections

Collection size: as of May 2014

  • 76,000 cartographic materials
  • 44,000 electronic records
  • 17,000 FOIA materials
  • 152,000 motion pictures
  • 725,000 still pictures
  • 2.7 million textual records
  • Total: 3.6 million items

The U.S. National Archives at College Park, MD has collections focusing primarily on government records.

URL: www.archives.gov/dc-metro/college-park/

Online catalog: www.archives.gov/research/search/

Databases

A list of digital exhibits and featured documents presented by NARA.

A database comprised of the founding documents of America, including high resolution images available for download, viewable images online, and transcripts.

A selection of records digitized and made publicly available by the National Archives. Items are tagged, and can be explored through these connections.

North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources
北米日本研究資料調整協議会
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