Ed Hilbert and I met Steven Fischer at the National Archives near College Park, Maryland where the picture collection is stored. The check-in process is extensive and you must have a picture ID with you in order to get a picture ID from the Archives. You must also declare and list with serial numbers any cameras, computers or scanners you take in. You cannot take the cases, any notebooks, pens, jackets, briefcases anything but what you carry.

They do allow the use of notebook computers and scanners and cameras and provide a nice table with several plugs on the table for your gear.

There is some fantastic stuff there, but it is not easy to find. The staff was helpful and we were able to find some of what we wanted. Unfortunately it was not all copyright free and it was unclear in some cases whether is was or wasn’t. Most of the photos we found seemed to be copyrighted. I think we found around ten that were useful and copyright free.

It is not hard to find, right off of Adelphi Road, off of New Hampshire right inside the DC Beltway. There is a parking lot on the premises.

Craig Herron