The Maryland Department is an excellent source for images about the State and its subdivisions. The photograph collection, with an estimated 18,000 black and white photographs, depicts all facets of life in Maryland including special events, particular places, and prominent persons. Most of the pictures are from the 1930's, although other time periods are covered. Some of the photographs have been used in books, exhibits, advertising, and television and motion picture productions. Images can also be found using the Maryland Department's extensive vertical file or with other special subject indexes developed and maintained by the staff.
Individuals can obtain a copy of a favorite image for private use.
The reproduction process is guided by a formal rights and permissions policy. During this 20-year period, the GRS staff of two librarians and one secretary have answered nearly 175,000 customer requests. Because Maryland had no state library services for state employees, which is a traditional function of state libraries, the Pratt Library started to explore options for this type of service in 1978. GRS operations commenced the following year. As originally envisioned, the Department would utilize the library collections of the State Library Resource Center and the Maryland Library Network rather than acquiring materials for a new collection.