The National Archives of Malta (NAM) is a government entity which preserves and maintains a significant number of records concerning the history of Malta, whilst also providing access to them for research. Archival records come in many media, shapes, sizes and formats: paper files, letters, handwritten bound volumes, press cuttings, printed records, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, oral histories recordings, microfilm, floppy discs, CDs, videos and DVDs. It is a place where people can go to gather firsthand facts, data, and evidence from different primary sources such as reports, notes, memos, photographs, maps and plans. The National Archives holds one of the largest archival collections in Malta, spanning from the 1530s up to the current day. In its holdings the collections total around 15 km of linear shelving, with an increment of approximately 1 km every year. This includes nearly 10,000 maps and a photographic collection of around 10,000 images (the majority of which are digitised).