The North Highland Archive in Wick is marking The Historical Associations Local History Week initiative, by putting one of their exclusive resources onto the World Wide Web.

A further 10 local authority archives are contributing to this event, as part of a virtual archive community that is being developed by the Scottish Archive Network, a 3-year Heritage Lottery Funded project. Various items of relevance to local history will be on virtual display at www.scan.org.uk   ,  from Local History Week (which runs from 4th to 11th May) onwards.

The sources being digitised include a diary, land tax record, school log book and minute books - all selected for their importance to local history. The aim of this project is to highlight the wealth of material held by local archives around Scotland and their importance as a historical resource. When complete this ‘Virtual Vault’ will contain over 1000 high quality colour images - allowing worldwide access to these important sources for the first time.

Rob Mildren, Managing Director of the Scottish Archive Network, said, “This project will deliver unprecedented access to some of Scotland’s most valuable and interesting documents. This is 'history at source' where ordinary folk have left their fingerprint on the written heritage of Scotland”.

The item selected for this project is the first volume of the Wick Harbour Trust minutes (first hundred pages only).

Other archives participating in this event include Aberdeenshire Archives, Aberdeen City Archives, Dundee City Archives, North Lanarkshire Archives, South Lanarkshire Archives, Perth & Kinross Council Archive, Scottish Borders Archive, Stirling Council Archive, Orkney Council Archive and Shetland Archives.

Local History Week is organised by the Historical Association. To find out more about events in your area, visit http://www.history.org.uk/  and click on ‘Local History