ACCESS to millions of documents in North Yorkshire is to be modernised, thanks to a £48,800 grant from the heritage lottery fund.

The project will revolutionise the way that North Yorkshire County Council's archives, which are currently held at the record office in Northallerton, can be accessed and used.

It will allow the record office to publish summary descriptions of over 4,000 archives received since 1949.

The 18-month project will provide the essential springboard for the development of further initiatives to broaden access to North Yorkshire's archive collections. As a first step, travelling exhibitions will demonstrate the relevance of the record office's holdings for the wide range of heritage-based activities, including community archives and archaeology, school project work, lifelong learning through family history, local festivals and neighbourhood regeneration projects.

Gordon Gresty, corporate director of business and community services, said: "This is a very important first step in modernising the service offered by the record office. It has only been made possible because of the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and we are grateful to them for recognising our needs. It will enable the record office to take its first steps into the modern digital age."

Fiona Spiers, the Heritage Lottery Fund's regional manager for Yorkshire and Humber, said: "One of the fund's aims is to give everyone the opportunity to learn about, experience and enjoy their heritage. This project will help to provide access for the first time, for users and potential users both locally and globally, to the wealth of information held in North Yorkshire County Council's archives."

Updated: 10:31 Wednesday, April 13, 2005