NARA File Request Process

This may not be the only way to order files from NARA (National Archives and Records Administration), but this process worked well, if slowly.

1. Send an email to NARA (the email address is in the file unit description, see below) containing the following information:
   • Record Group Number
   • National Archives Identifier
   • HMS/MLR Entry Number
   • Series title
   • File unit title
   • Container number
   • Your mailing/postal/billing/shipping address
   See links below for the information formatting I used. If you are requesting many files, you can request three file units at a time, and submit three more once you have received a response about the previous request.
2. In 2-3 weeks, you will receive a quotation (NATF Form 72) by mail, which lists the documents you requested, how many pages each have, and how much each will cost. The page count may be an estimate. Note that, with shipping, each page costs over $1 US each.
3. Fill in Form 72 as required, with your credit card information, and fax (or mail) it back to NARA. Request photocopies as their scans are at less than 300 dpi! You can make better scans yourself.
4. A few weeks later, you will receive one or more Tyvek envelopes containing your requested files.

File Request Data

Research Project Case Files Relating to the HARVEST System, 1960? - 2009?
The National Archives Catalog page, with links to each file unit description.

Requested HARVEST File Entries
These are the data for file requests done so far, in groups of three.