Massachusetts is divided into 21 registry districts with an elected register of deeds responsible for each office. Documents related to the ownership of real estate within the district are recorded at the registry. Recorded documents are assigned a sequential identifying number (known as the book and page number) and scanned into the registry's computer system. The resulting images are available for viewing on and printing from public access terminals at the registry and from home or office computers. All registries microfilm all recorded documents and most continue to produce record books containing document images on paper. In most cases, original documents are returned to the land owner. To assist customers in finding relevant documents, registries create a searchable index that contains the names of all parties to a document and the property address.