This paper introduces the various activities concerning regional historical materials which have been carried out through various means including compilation of municipal histories, lifelong education, university education and local residents' activities. These activities are conducted under the common theme of "Providing opportunities not for scholars, but for citizens who do not handle historical materials in their daily lives or at work to understand the nature of historical materials by actually reading them, and to learn how interesting and important they can be." Providing such opportunities and transmitting information required by citizensis the role scholars should play in local communities where historical materials have been preserved. The Regional Material Study Group has been discussing how to improve the quality of information on archives and material storage facilities, how to effectively transmit the information on its website, and how to disseminate its experiences and examples of historical material utilization including graduation theses, investigations and study activities conducted by local residents. The examples of activities reported in this paper show how local communities have addressed these issues. The Regional Material Study Group plans to establish a network which will enable concerned parties to interact with each other regardless of the classification of the archives or their fields of study, and to provide opportunities for concerned parties and local residents to conduct pioneering activities together.