Every day, more and more genealogists look to the Internet to find valuable information for their research. Those who create the sources of genealogy data – especially those which are public services –have then been trying to find ways to increase their online presence, to cope with this increasing demand of information.

This is especially true of the U. S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which is one of the principal sources of genealogy data maintained by the U. S. government. NARA has set up a program to make most of their online information in a few years' time. A quick look at NARA and its activities will help us to better understand the importance of this initiative.

NARA is the federal agency chartered with preserving U. S. history and the documents that made history in the country. This means that, for instance, NARA's Washington facilities keep no less than the original basic documents regarding the formation of the United States: The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These documents, and millions more, are kept by this Washington D.C.-based agency, and 13 other regional facilities.

NARA's task is, therefore, to work as the central archives of the U. S. government. It is therefore easy to understand why the institution receives 2.3 million visitors each year, while another 2.3 million people visit NARA's Web site ... each month!

People of all kinds and professions make use of NARA's archives: students, teachers, journalists, movie directors, politicians... and genealogists, too! Genealogists are, in fact, a great portion of the researchers who look through NARA's files.

These files include Census records, military service records, immigrant arrivals and the like. NARA offers a few publications with advice on how to use their records for genealogy research (some are free, others paid). Courses and workshops are also regularly offered to genealogists. A whole section of NARA's Web site is fully devoted to genealogists.

How many million tons of paper are there in NARA's archives? Difficult to estimate, perhaps, but one thing is obvious: this paper flow will never end as documents and other collateral are always flowing in, never out.

While it's true that many of the new files are stored on electronic media, paper still remains the more pervasive media today. NARA has the unenviable task of dealing with all this paper efficiently and safely while at the same time, making it accessible to millions of people who consult their files.

It is a great responsibility indeed – the country's memory cannot be lost! To better comply with its tasks, NARA set out a strategic plan, whose main goals are:

First – Essential evidence will be created, identified, appropriately scheduled and managed for as long as needed

Second – Essential evidence will be easy to access, regardless of where it is or where users are far as long as needed

Third – All records will be preserved in appropriate space for use as long as needed

Fourth – NARA's capabilities for making changes necessary to realize our vision will continuously expand.

As for specific goals, NARA plans to process 55% of all records received within 120 days of submission by the year 2002 (in 2007, it will reach 90%). Of more interest to genealogy research, NARA intends to have 85% of its records described in an online catalog by 2002, reaching 100% in 2007.

To meet these goals, work has already started, and a prototype of the online catalog is already available at NARA's Web site. It is called NAIL – NARA Archival Information Location. This system, when finalized, will work as a virtual card catalog of all documents, and copies of the most significant ones are being digitized and made available online.

This may be the reason why the document you have been looking for may have been inaccessible over a given period of time. This is because digitization of documents is being done continuously, and some documents may be taken out of circulation for a few days to accommodate this work. By 1998 year-end, more than 250,000 descriptions and 3,500 document copies were already available through the NAIL prototype system.

Most of this information is, unfortunately, of little interest to genealogists. But the trend will soon turn positive: By1998 year-end, the following data could already be found on NAIL (just a sampling):

• Descriptions of 52,000 Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole applications for enrollment to the Five Civilized Tribes (Dawes Commission) between 1898 and 1914

• Description of the one multi-page document: Final Rolls of the Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory. All 634 pages of the document have been digitized. The document lists the names of the individuals who were allowed on the tribal rolls by the Dawes Commission.

• Descriptions of 50,000 Fort Smith Arkansas criminal case files.

• 5929 Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits created by the United States Marshals, Kansas Judicial District, 1917-1921 (120 of the affidavits have digitized copies attached to them).

  

• Descriptions of 1235 compiled military service records for the "Rough Riders" from the Carded Records, Volunteer Organizations: Spanish-American War, 1898 series (all 1235 item level descriptions have digitized copies attached to them)

• Descriptions of 409 documents from case files documenting the enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Acts (all 409 item level descriptions have digitized documents attached to them)

All data available at NAIL is in the public domain. Document inclusion work is continuous, and much more information should be available throughout 1999.

NARA's importance goes far beyond genealogy research, since it keeps the most important documents in American history. With the speedy growth of the Internet, the online availability of those files has become of utmost importance to people worldwide.

The strategic plan discussed above will determine NARA's success in accomplishing its mission. Making history available to everyone has given genealogists an opportunity to have readily-accessible data for their research, all from the comfort of home!