Frequently Asked Questions
National Archives Building Renovation
When will the
Rotunda reopen and the
Charters of Freedom be
on display?
The Rotunda reopened to the public on September 18, 2003. See the Charters
of Freedom in person.
Visit our new exhibit, The
Charters of Freedom, "A New World Is At Hand."
Borrowing NARA Materials
Does NARA lend
original documents for
research?
NARA does not lend original
documents for research
use.
Originating Federal agencies
or successors in function;
courts; and the President,
Vice President, former
Presidents or Vice Presidents
or donors, or their designated
representative may request
loans of their own original
holdings for the conduct
of official business.
Loans of original holdings
to originating agencies
are limited to instances
of demonstrated need when
copies will not suffice
and are subject to conditions
that exempt from loan any
holdings of high intrinsic
value or in need of preservation
action.
Does NARA lend
original documents for
exhibition use?
Original documents may
be loaned for exhibition
to qualified institutions
for the purpose of informing
and educating the public
about NARA, its holdings,
or the national experience,
while ensuring their continued
availability for the future.
Borrowers must submit a
written request at least
120 days in advance of
loan date and include an
American
Association of Museums
Standard Facility Report
or equivalent. Borrowers
must comply with NARA's
stringent security, fire
protection, environmental,
and transport requirements.
Read the complete
guidelines.
Captured
German Records and the Berlin
Document Center
What is the
Berlin Document Center?
The records of the Berlin
Document Center consist
of personnel and related
records of the Nazi party
(NSDAP) and its affiliated
organizations and activities
from the founding of the
Party in 1920 until 1945.
NARA holds more than 70,000
rolls of microfilm reproducing
captured
German and related records.
Reference copies of the
microfilm may be viewed
free of charge in the Microfilm
Research Room, National
Archives at College Park,
8601 Adelphi Road, College
Park, MD 20740-6001.
Self-service copies from
microfilm can also be made
in the research room.
How do I get
the records for someone
who was in the SS or a
member of the Nazi party?
This information can
be located in the captured
German and related records.
Census
Records
How do I get
census records?
Federal population census
records, 1790-1930, are
available for research
at the National
Archives Building in Washington,
DC, and in Regional
Records Service Centers
throughout the country.
The National Archives at
College Park does not have
census records.
Please note that the 1930
census is the most
recent one available for
research.
Some libraries and other
research institutions have
purchased copies of Federal
censuses. Check with your
local library or genealogical
society to see if the census
may be available in your
area.
Can I order copies
of census materials by mail?
NARA will only copy exactly
identified pages of the
Federal census. To use
this service, you must
provide the following:
- census year
- name of the individual
listed
- exact page number
- state
- county
- enumeration district
(1880-1920 only)
Copies of the exact census page can now be ordered
online, as well as through the NATF
Form 82 (National Archives Order for Copies of Census Records).
What if I don't
know the exact page of
the census?
You might be able to find
census indexes near you.
Check with your local librarian
or genealogical society.
Private firms have produced
indexes to census records
for specific years, generally
1790-1870. These are widely
available throughout the
country in libraries that
have genealogical collections.
In addition to these printed
indexes, there are microfilm
indexes to the 1900 and
1920 census and partial
indexes to the 1880 and
1910 census.
From these indexes, you
can determine the exact
page on which a family
was enumerated. With that
information, you can use
the NATF Form 82 to order
a copy of the page. Use
the online Inquire
form to request NATF
Form 82..
For more information,
please visit How
to Use NARA's Census Microfilm
Catalogs.
Charters of Freedom
What are the
Charters of Freedom?
The Charters
of Freedom are the
founding documents of the
United States. They are
the Declaration of Independence,
the Constitution, and the
Bill of Rights.
Where can I
get copies (reproductions)
of the Charters of Freedom?
Posters and reproductions
are available for purchase.
See the Charters
of Freedom Catalog.
You may also download
copies from this web
site.
Congressional Records
How do I get
U.S. House of Representatives
or U.S. Senate committee
records?
Records of Congress in NARA are held by the Center
for Legislative Archives in the National Archives Building in Washington,
DC.
How do I get
U.S. House or U.S. Senate
hearing testimony?
Some hearing testimony is available via the Internet on the Thomas
web site at the Library of Congress. In addition, published hearing testimony
is generally available through the Federal
depository library system. There are approximately 1,350 Federal depository
libraries throughout the United States and its territories, at least one in
almost every Congressional District. All provide free public access to a wide
variety of Federal Government information in both print and electronic formats,
and have expert staff available to assist users. You can find more information
about this system on the Government
Printing Office web site.
Do you have footage of Congressional hearings and speeches
from C-SPAN?
C-SPAN is a private organization not affiliated with the government. You
may contact C-SPAN directly.
How long do Congressional records stay closed?
Congressional records remain closed for varying lengths of time depending
upon several factors. More information is available in the Records
of Congress section of our web site.
Copyright
May I reproduce
images from your web site?
The vast majority of the
digital images in the Archival
Research Catalog (ARC)
are in the public domain.
Therefore, no written permission
is required to use them.
We would appreciate your
crediting the National
Archives and Records Administration
as the original source.
For the few images that
remain copyrighted, please
read the instructions noted
in the "Access Restrictions"
field of each ARC
record.
Please note that a few
images on other areas of
our web site have been
obtained from other organizations
and that these are always
credited. Permission to
use these photographs should
be obtained directly from
those organizations.
May I reproduce
other NARA records?
In general, all government
records are in the public
domain and may be freely
used. We do have some donated
or other materials that
might be copyrighted. If
you have questions about
the records you are interested
in, speak to the archivist
or reference staff that
handles those records.
Can I get a
signed permission form
from NARA to use materials?
NARA as a policy does
not sign documents stating
that particular records
are not copyrighted because
government records are
in the public domain. For
other materials, it is
the user's responsibility
to determine copyright.
Court
Records
What court records
does NARA have?
NARA only has records
of Federal courts. We do
not have records from state
or county courts. Federal
court records are kept
in the Regional
Records Services Facility
that covers records from
that state.
The one exception is the
District of Columbia. These
court records are in the
National Archives Building
in Washington, DC. Please
contact
us if you have questions.
How
do I use the National Archives
to research bankruptcies?
Please see information
on how to obtain bankruptcy
records.
Where can I research
Supreme Court decisions?
Many sources exist for
locating Supreme Court
decisions both in print
and electronic format.
The Court itself provides
an excellent finding aid,
Where
to Obtain Supreme Court
Decisions, on its web
site. Textual
Supreme Court records
are also held in the National
Archives Building in Washington,
DC, while recorded oral
arguments are in the National
Archives at College Park.
Please contact
us if you have questions.
Most research into Supreme Court decisions can be done with printed sources
at Federal depository libraries.
In addition, please be aware of the following caution from the Supreme Court
concerning electronic versus print versions of decisions:
"Only the bound volumes
of the United States Reports
contain the final, official
text of the opinions of
the Supreme Court of the
United States. In case
of discrepancies between
the bound volume and any
other version of a case--whether
print or electronic, official
or unofficial--the bound
volume controls."
Document Appraisal
Can you tell me about or appraise my historic document?
The National Archives does not appraise or look at privately owned documents
or artifacts. To find an appraiser in your area, you may wish to contact the
ABAA (Antiquarian
Booksellers Association of America).
Document Preservation
How do I preserve
a photo or other family
documents?
Personal documents are
no less valuable than government
records and care should
be taken for their proper
storage. You can find more
information in the Preservation
section of this web site.
Donations
Does NARA purchase old, historic pictures or accept
them as donations?
NARA does not add to its holdings through purchase. We may accept offers of
donations when the documentary materials involved are closely related to Federal
records already in our custody. When documentary materials don't have a close
Federal connection, we direct potential donors to other appropriate archival
facilities.
Electronic
Records
What is the Electronic
Records Archives?
In the Federal Government,
electronic records are
as indispensable as their
paper predecessors for
documenting citizens' rights,
the actions for which officials
are accountable, and the
nation's history. Effective
democracy depends on access
to such records.
But we will lose the millions
of records being created
in electronic forms unless
we find ways to preserve
and keep them accessible
indefinitely. The Electronic
Records Archives (ERA)
is NARAs vision for
a comprehensive, systematic,
and dynamic means of preserving
and providing continuing
access to authentic electronic
records over time. You
can read more about the
Electronic
Records Archives on
this web site.
Federal Regulations
What is the
CFR?
CFR is the commonly used
name for the Code
of Federal Regulations,
an annual codification
of the general and permanent
rules published in the
Federal Register by the
executive departments and
agencies of the Federal
Government. The current
edition is available on
the U.S.
Government Printing Office
web site.
You can search the CFR
and browse through the
last 6 editions.
The CFR is also available in Federal
depository libraries.
Finding
People
Can NARA help
me find someone?
The National Archives
does not have information
to help you locate living
individuals. The records
in the custody of NARA
are usually at least 20-30
years old. Information
on living individuals is
protected by the Privacy
Act. NARA records, therefore,
are not helpful in providing
current information about
individuals.
Other government resources
are available that may
be useful in locating individuals.
The Consumer Information
Center has created a list
of resources
for locating persons of
unknown whereabouts.
In addition to this resource, there are many online
telephone directories that may be useful for locating individuals. You
can also find them via most of the popular Internet search engines.
Forms
It seems the
forms change regularly.
How long do they last?
NARA has close to 600
forms, and some forms change
regularly.
Forms last until the office
that created them cancels
them.
If there is a particular
form that you have used
but can no longer locate,
you may contact
us for assistance in
determining the form's
status.
Genealogy
How can NARA
help me with genealogy
research?
The National Archives
is a treasure trove of
materials that can be used
to trace your family lineage.
More information is available
on Beginning
Your Genealogical Research.
How do I get
started with genealogy?
Experts often suggest
beginning with your oldest
living relatives. Find
out more on Beginning
Your Genealogical Research.
How do I find
ancestors of Native American
descent?
NARA holds a great deal
of information useful in
tracing Native
American descent.
Where can I
get a copy of my ancestor's
passport?
Passport applications can
be an excellent source
of genealogical information,
especially about foreign-born
individuals. NARA has passport
applications from October
1795 through March 1925;
the U.S. Department of
State has passport applications
from April 1925 to the
present. More information
on this topic can be found
in our genealogy
section.
What is Soundex,
and how does it work?
The Soundex is a coded
surname (last name) index
based on the way a surname
sounds rather than the
way it is spelled. Surnames
that sound the same, but
are spelled differently,
like SMITH and SMYTH, have
the same code and are filed
together. The Soundex coding
system was developed so
that you can find a surname
even though it may have
been recorded under various
spellings. More
information on Soundex.
How do I research
my family name?
NARA is not able to help
you with broad research
on a family name.
How do I research
when my family entered
the country?
You can find out about
NARA's
immigration records holdings
in the genealogy
section. When researching
in this area, working backward
from the present should
provide you with a manageable
time frame in which to
conduct research.
Where can I get
copies of ship passenger
lists?
NARA has some ship
passenger arrival records.
There are many other sources
for these records, including
an online
guide at the Library of
Congress. Your local
library, historical society,
or genealogical society
can be helpful. For online
research, simply begin
by choosing a search engine
and entering the words
"ship passenger lists."
Can I see Ellis
Island or other immigration
records online?
NARA does not hold those
records, but some Ellis
Island records are available
online from the Ellis
Island Foundation.
How do I get
a copy of a Homestead application?
The publication Research
in the Land Entry Files of the General Land Office describes NARA's holdings
on this topic.
Reproductions of land entry files (such as credit, cash, homestead, and mineral)
or surrendered military bounty-land warrants files (Acts of 1788, 1812, 1847,
1850, and 1855) can now be ordered
online, as well as through the NATF
Form 84.
How can NARA
help me trace my Canadian
lineage?
The Fall
2000 issue of NARA's Prologue
magazine describes
the materials available
for this topic. Please
see the information on
NARA's holdings related
to Canadian border crossings.
How can NARA
help me trace my Latin
American lineage?
Please see the information
on NARA's holdings related
to Mexican
border crossings.
How do I find
information about a lighthouse
or a lighthouse keeper?
The document Basic
Search Path for Records
Relating to Lighthouses
describes NARA's holdings
on this topic.
How do I find
information about a postmaster?
Information on Postmaster
Appointments can be
found in the genealogy
section.
Which military
records should I use for
genealogical research?
NARA has many military records
that can be used for this
purpose. More detailed information
is available on the Military
Records FAQ.
Government Employment Records
I worked for the Federal government at one time. How
can I get a copy of my personnel file?
Information on this topic is available at the National
Personnel Records Center.
Laws
Where can I
find Federal Laws?
The general and permanent
laws of the United States
can be found in the U.S.
Code.
The Office of the Federal Register's Public Laws is a good place to research, or sign up for email notification of, recently enacted laws.
New laws can be further researched on the Thomas
web site at the Library of Congress. Thomas has the complete text of laws
from the most recent Congress back to the 101st Congress (1989-1990). You
can find summary and status information, but not the full text, back to the
93rd Congress. (1973-1974).
GPO Access' Legislative
Information website provides additional information.
The first 42 Congresses
(1789-1873) are available
online in the Library
of Congress' American Memory
Project.
Federal laws are codified
in the United States Code,
the most recent edition
of which is available to
search or browse.
Laws that are not online are available in the printed Statutes at Large,
which is available in the Federal
depository libraries.
Where can I
research State laws?
State laws are generally
available in larger public
and academic libraries.
In addition, most state
codes are available on
line at each state's web
site. State web sites can
be searched on the FirstGov
web site.
Motion
Picture, Sound, and Video Recordings
Does NARA have
motion picture, sound,
and video recordings?
NARA holds materials in
a wide
variety of formats
including:
Online Records
Why aren't all the
records online?
NARA tries to make as
many records as possible
available via the Internet.
This is a daunting task,
even with records that
were created in electronic
format. More information
on this effort is available
from NARA's Electronic
Records Archives (ERA)
Program.
The volume of records
in NARA's possession that
pre-date electronic formats
is so vast, that costs
and resource availabilities
will most likely preclude
the conversion of all of
them to electronic formats.
However, as resources permit,
NARA will continue to select
records to be digitized
and made available electronically.
Panama Canal
Do you have records from the construction of the Panama
Canal?
Yes. Please contact us with
a question about the specific records or information you are looking for.
Photocopies
Is photocopying
allowed at NARA?
Self-service copying
by researchers is permitted
under specified conditions
in most research rooms,
using:
- National Archives
in-house equipment such
as coin or card-operated
electrostatic copiers
and microfilm printers,
and, less frequently,
snapshot copiers, dubbing
devices, and others;
- Researchers' own equipment
ranging from cameras
to scanners, that has
been specifically approved
by the National Archives
for work with the records
in question.
More details are available
on the reproductions
overview page.
Presidential Materials
I'm interested
in Presidential materials
such as speeches, proclamations,
Executive Orders, etc.
Where can I find them?
Presidential materials
are first published in
the daily Federal
Register. They
are then issued by the
Office of the Federal Register
in the Weekly
Compilation of Presidential
Documents. The
Weekly Compilation
is published every Monday
by the Office of the Federal
Register, and contains
statements, messages, and
other Presidential materials
released by the White House
during the preceding week.
The White
House web site is also
a useful source for current
Presidential documents.
Presidential materials are codified as Title 3 of the Code
of Federal Regulations. The publication is available in both electronic
and print formats and can be found in Federal
depository libraries. The online Weekly Compilation is full-text
beginning with the Clinton Administration.
Executive Orders (EOs)
can be difficult to research.
The full text of EOs is
available online beginning
with the Clinton Administration.
Bear in mind, however,
that they are not static
documents. They often change
over time. In addition,
they can be repealed or
superseded by subsequent
Executive Orders. The Executive
Orders disposition tables
on this site can be very
helpful in locating an
Executive Order and in
determining its current
status.
Executive Orders published between April 13, 1945, and January 20, 1989 can
be found in the publication Codification
of Presidential Proclamations and Executive Orders. This document
is out of print, but in addition to the online version, it can be found in
most Federal depository
libraries.
Find a Federal Depository
Library near you.
Executive Orders and Presidential
Proclamations have also
been commercially indexed
and filmed on microfiche
by the Congressional Information
Service (CIS index to presidential
Executive Orders &
proclamations. Washington,
DC: Congressional Information
Service, 1986-). These
indexes and/or microfiche
may be available in a local
library.
Sales Catalog
Does NARA have a sales
catalog?
The Publications section
of this web site lists items that you can purchase from NARA.
Where can I get copies (reproductions) of items displayed
in one of your exhibits (online or not)?
NARA sells reproductions of some of the materials it exhibits. The Publications
section describes the items available and provides ordering instructions.
Do you sell exhibit catalogs?
Yes. NARA does sell catalogs
for many of its exhibits.
Treaties
Where can I find
the text of a treaty?
The printed series U.S . Treaties and Other International Agreements
is the best source. It is not online, but should be available in most Federal
documents depositories.
Until 1948, treaties passed
by the U.S. Senate appeared
in the Statutes at Large,
which should also be available
in a depository library.
Various other compilations
and sources also exist.
These may be available
in a local library. Other
single treaties may be
available online and can
be found using your favorite
search engine.
United States Code
What is the
U.S. Code?
The U.S. Code is a consolidation
and codification by subject
matter of the general and
permanent laws of the United
States.
How do I get
to an online copy of the
U.S. Code?
A searchable version can be found on the Office
of the Law Revision Counsel web site at the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Code is also available for sale by the U.S.
Government Printing Office in a variety of formats.
Using the Web Site
How can I find something specific on your web site?
We have tried to organize the web site to make our most often accessed offerings
easily findable via browsing. You can also look in the Site
Index.
In addition, we have made many improvements to our search engine to make it
an effective and efficient means of locating information. Search
the site.
If you have any problems with our web site, please contact
us so that we can make any necessary improvements.
For more information see: Features
of Our Web Site.
Visiting and Using the National Archives
Where is the National Archives located?
The headquarters of the National Archives is located in Washington DC. In
addition, a system of Regional Records Services facilities and Presidential
libraries spans the entire country. Information on locations and hours can
be found at NARA Facilities.
National Archives Building in Washington,
DC
National Archives at College Park,
MD
How can I best use the National Archives for research?
Often research can be conducted in local libraries or historical societies.
Our Getting
Started document can explain differences and similarities between NARA
and libraries.
How can I best prepare to conduct research in the National Archives?
To best use your time at NARA, please review our tips
for planning your visit.
Who can use the National Archives?
Anyone can use the National Archives. You do not need to be an American
citizen or to present credentials or a letter of recommendation. Please refer
to the synopsis of the Regulations
for Using the National Archives or to the complete NARA
regulations as published in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Can I bring and use cameras, scanners, and laptops?
In the Washington area, you may bring equipment. All bags and carrying cases
must be left in lockers outside of the research room.
Cameras may be used only with natural light.
Flatbed scanners without sheet feeders are allowed. When you are using a scanner,
you must show it to the research room staff and receive special instructions.
More information on using
scanners.
Outside the Washington, DC, area contact Regional
Records Services Facilities and Presidential
Libraries directly for their policies on equipment.
Can I use my pen and notebook?
Because of the fragility and irreplaceability of many archival materials,
restrictions for their protection are in place. We will provide blank paper
and pencils.
When can I do research?
Contact Regional Records Services
Facilities and Presidential
Libraries directly for their hours of operation.
Vital Records
What are vital records?
"Vital records" most commonly refers to records such as birth and
death certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees, wills and the like.
These records are created by local authorities, and with possible exceptions
for events overseas, in the military, or in the District of Columbia. They
are not considered Federal records; therefore they are not held by NARA. For
more information:
In a Federal records management context, the term "vital records"
refers to records essential to an agency's continued operations during a national
emergency. NARA provides an instructional guide, Vital
Records and Records Disaster Mitigation and Recovery, to assist agencies
with developing and implementing a vital records program.
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