On necessity to intensify the processes of archived materials digitization and benefits from doing it exemplified by parchment documents collection of Lithuanian Academy of Science

The collection of parchment documents of the Manuscript Section at the Lithuanian Academy of Science is the biggest as well as the most valuable in the three Baltic States. In total it encompasses 1,412 parchments produced from 11th to early 20th century. Until recently it was used only by a narrow circle of researchers, most of all through volume one of Diplomatic Codex of Vilnius Cathedral and Diocese (edited by J. Fijałek and W. Semkowicz. Kraków 1948) and Pergamentų katalogas by R. Jasas published in 1980. In the beginning of 2004 there was initiated – under the patronage of UNESCO – a Parchment’s Digital Images Archive project that enables creating a digital archive including 121 of the oldest diplomas, produced from the end of 12th century (first document is dated back a. 1187 p. 1193) to 1500. Basing on the example of the project and a database that was placed on the Internet thanks to it, in the article there has been shown the opportunities that are given to a historian, also a specialist of the Middle Ages, by archived materials digitization. There was also presented the layout and the construction of the Vilnius digital archive (http://www.mab.lt/parchments/ index.html). Additionally, the selected examples helped in discussing searching capacities and using the displayed documents