About Our Activities

The Objectives of the Lithuanian State Historical Archives

The objectives of the Lithuanian State Historical Archives are as follows:

1.To preserve and promote the part of the National Documentary Fonds (NDF) assigned to the Archives, which comprises:

1.1. Surviving records of government and administrative institutions, central and local government bodies, self-government institutions and organisations that operated in Lithuania from the earliest times until 1918;

1.2. Documents of religious institutions and communities in Lithuania dating from the earliest times until 1940, as well as documents accumulated by individuals;

1.3. Civil registration records;

1.4. Documents transferred by non-governmental organisations, private legal entities and individuals, as well as documents or copies thereof received from foreign countries relating to Lithuania’s historical heritage or otherwise associated with Lithuania, insofar as they relate to the subject matter and period specified in subparagraphs 7.1.1–7.1.3 concerning the relevant part of the NDF.

2. To ensure access to documentary cultural heritage, foster and strengthen society’s cultural and civic identity, and develop historical awareness.

Functions of the Lithuanian State Historical Archives

In pursuit of its established objectives, the Lithuanian State Historical Archives performs the following functions:

1. In preserving and promoting the part of the NDF assigned to the Archives, it:

1.1. Maintains records of the documents held in its custody;

1.2. Prepares finding aids, including inventories, indexes and other research tools;

1.3. Monitors the physical condition of the documents held in its custody;

1.4. Carries out preventive conservation of the documents held in its custody and organises their restoration;

1.5. Enriches the NDF with records of non-governmental organisations, private legal entities and individuals, as well as documents relating to Lithuania’s historical heritage or otherwise associated with Lithuania received from foreign countries, including the acquisition of documents or copies thereof;

1.6. Arranges and processes unorganised documents transferred to the Archives;

1.7. Collects information on documentary heritage of significance to Lithuania held in foreign countries;

1.8. Conducts research on the documents held in its custody in cooperation with research institutions;

1.9. Prepares, publishes and distributes non-periodical publications;

1.10. Provides information to state and municipal authorities, institutions and enterprises, as well as other legal and natural persons, and examines requests and complaints submitted by individuals;

1.11. Makes documents held in its custody, or copies thereof, available for consultation by natural and legal persons in designated premises of the Archives and produces copies of documents upon request;

1.12. Provides methodological assistance to state and municipal authorities, institutions and enterprises transferring documents to the Archives;

1.13. Submits proposals concerning draft subordinate legislation in the field of records and archives management and use.

2. In ensuring access to documentary cultural heritage, fostering and strengthening society’s cultural and civic identity, and developing historical awareness, it:

2.1. In performing the function established in Article 5(4)(9) of the Law on Documents and Archives, organises non-formal education for children and adults and develops and implements educational programmes;

2.2. Organises exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad, as well as seminars, conferences and other events;

2.3. Digitises documents held in its custody, ensures their dissemination through the Electronic Archives Information System and digital collections managed or used by the Archives, develops and implements digitisation projects, and participates in digitisation projects in Lithuania and abroad;

2.4. Prepares descriptive information about the documents held in its custody and ensures its accessibility through the Electronic Archives Information System.

3. Performs other functions assigned to state archives under Article 5(4) of the Law on Documents and Archives.