Virtual Library of Macedonia is a project for connecting all types of libraries in the Republic of Macedonia (national, public, higher educational, university, specialized, school library) in a single national library information system. This system is based on the platform and the eponymous program support COBISS (Cooperative Online Bibliographic System and Services), developed by the Institute of Information Sciences – IZUM from Slovenia.

The VBM project begun in 2002 by connecting the National and University Library "St. Kliment Ohridski " - Skopje, University Library" St. Kliment Ohridski " - Bitola, the library of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts and the libraries of the institutes of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, which until then for automation of library processes, each independently, used the COBISS software. However, as a official date has been pointed out December 3, 2004 when the Library signed an agreement with IZUM for implementation of the COBISS.MK system in Macedonia and founded the Virtual Library of Macedonia Center (VBM Center), which performs the tasks of the national library information service of this system.

What is COBISS?

COBISS is an organizational model linking libraries into a library information system by shared cataloging, shared bibliographic cataloguing database COBIB and local databases of the participating libraries, database of the libraries COLIB, normative database CONOR, and numerous other functions.

COBISS.SI, COBISS.SR, COBISS.MK, COBISS.BH, COBISS.CG and COBISS.BG are labels for autonomous library information systems established in individual countries (Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Bulgaria) with its own shared database COBIB. A special case is COBISS.AL as a bibliographic system for evaluation of research results in Albania with shared database COBIB.AL for running bibliographies of researchers. Within these systems, in the automated operations the COBISS software today is used by over 700 libraries.

More information on the COBISS software platform can be found here.

What is COBISS.NET?

COBISS.Net is the name of the network that connects each autonomous (national) library information systems COBISS from different countries and their information systems for research. The COBISS software allows technical undertaking of entries of any mutual database COBIB, the catalog OCLC (WorldCat) and other databases. The Agreement of Establishing of the COBISS.Net Network and the free flow of bibliographic records which are created in the autonomous library information systems of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia, was signed in Belgrade in February 2003, and in November 2006 the Agreement was also signed by the national library of Bulgaria.

More information on the COBISS.Net software platform can be found here.

About the VBM Center

The VBM Center is the national library information service of the COBISS.MK system that performs the following functions:

• planning and coordination of activities related to computer connecting of libraries in the Republic of Macedonia,
• providing and maintaining common computer and communication facilities for the operation of the system and the central services,
• management of the shared bibliographic cataloguing database COBIB.MK,
• provision of COBISS software and user's documentation for shared cataloging, local library functioning and other services for all members of the COBISS.MK,
• professional assistance to libraries in the purchase, installation and maintenance of computer equipment,
• training and technical assistance to libraries and other users of the COBISS.MK software and service,
• determining the ability of library staff to participate in shared cataloging,
• professional assistance to libraries in the conversion and transfer of data from other systems.

Contact details

User Support:

phone. +389 2 3230 151, ext. 200 (Monday to Friday 8.00 - 16.00)
mobile +389 75 378 031 (Monday to Friday 16.00 - 19.00 and Saturday 9:00 - 13:00)

IT Support:

phone +389 2 3230 151, ext. 201 (Monday to Friday 8.00 - 16.00)
mobile +389 75 378 033 (Monday to Friday 16.00 - 19.00 and Saturday 9:00 - 13:00)
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Manager:

MA Zaklina Gjalevska
phone +389 2 3230 151, ext. 208
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.