The Maine State Archives is a very interesting and intriguing database. It has around 95 million records of state documents that are kept because of their value to the history of the state. The archives is a bureau within the Department of the Secretary of State and includes mostly government paperwork and records. These records include bills introduced the the Legislature, election results, military records dating back to World War I, census records, as well as many other informative pieces of information that are considered valuable. The Maine State Archives is preserved by the Archives Services Division which is a government job that collects and analyzes important documents and archives them. They are very accessible to the public. Any …show more content…
Its mission statement: “to make the operations of state and local government more efficient, more effective and more economical through records management by preserving and providing access to the public the permanent historical records of Maine in our custody” helps suggest that the intent for preserving important documents is to improve the efficiency of economical and political procedures within state lines. This coincides with the Archive’s values that the true intent of the Maine State Archives is to assist any public or government agency possible. Searching through the archives, it tells a story of the drastic economical changes Maine has faced since the 1800’s. Maine has gone through many economical and social changes in the last 200 years and the Archives document these changes in pictures, newspaper clippings, and government documents. A wide range of articles are available online which could prompt a multitude of topics to be written about; ranging from rare Baxter State Park Maps to Vintage Post Cards. This helps tells a story of how Maine was viewed commercially as well as how to perception of Maine has changed over the years. The Maine State Archives does a fantastic job of emulating Maine itself. Maine is a state of wealth and poverty, blue and white collar people, and populated areas and desolate areas. From cities to forests, Maine has a wide variety of people, jobs, and living cultures. The Archives helps recognize the different lifestyles that Maine has to offer its people and explores the different agencies of