Microfilming Activities of the Historical Records Survey, 1935-42

Although rarely mentioned by scholars, the Historical Records Survey undertook an impressive microfilming program. The 1930s witnessed the development of microphotography to encompass scholarly research materials. Influential in this development was the Historical Records Survey, which microfilmed state and local records, newspapers, and other research materials. The Survey experimented with new applications of microphotography, such as in the compilation of union catalogs, and was responsible for several innovations in the field.