Director's general correspondence files

Organized into three subseries: 1. Correspondence With District Supervisors; 2. Correspondence With State and National Officials; 3. Correspondence Concerning Distribution of County Inventories.

Subseries 1: arranged numerically by district number, then in reverse chronological order.

Subseries 2: arranged by title of correspondent or subject, then roughly in reverse chronological order.

Subseries 3: arranged by county inventory and then in reverse chronological order.

This series consists of correspondence concerning the administration of the Historical Records Survey in New York State.

Subseries 1: Correspondence With District Supervisors. This subseries includes correspondence between the state director, district supervisors, and field workers. Most of this correspondence concerns the daily administrative activities associated with operating a relief program, such as: requisition, reclassification, and termination of workers; appointment of district supervisors; progress of survey work; wage rates; travel arrangements; and requisition of office supplies.

Subseries 2: Correspondence With State and National Officials. This subseries consists mostly of correspondence between the state director and the state and national officials of the Works Progress Administration and Historical Records Survey (HRS). Some of this correspondence concerns administrative personnel and supply matters. Much of it also relates to the development and implementation of the policy and procedures of the HRS, both as a relief program and as a historical records inventorying project. Also included is information on the administrative organization of the HRS, publicity activities in the form of radio programs, and a copy of a draft inventory of archives of Albany County (later published).

Subseries 3: Correspondence Concerning Distribution of County Inventories. This subseries mostly consists of correspondence transmitting copies of the published inventories of county archives and acknowledgments from recipients.

A folder list is available at the repository.

These records were deposited by the H.R.S. in the State Library in 1942 and were subsequently transferred to the State Archives as part of old collection #550A, accession number -372.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.