Exploring COBISS.net

Are you working on a research project that involves the Balkans?

Don't forget to take a look at COBISS.net, which provides access to the national and regional library catalogs from Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Albania.

As you can see, there are hundreds of libraries that participate in this project for sharing information across the region. Croatia is currently not a part of the project, although organizers have offered an official invitation to participate. Libraries in Kosovo will be included eventually, as they are still preparing to join. The libraries that participate range from the National Libraries of each country, to University libraries to even small local libraries. Each union catalog offers an efficient way to search for materials to borrow, or just to verify bibliographic information.

Here is a list of goals the COBISS project has for its development:

• To enhance the automation and inclusion of libraries of already participating countries in the national library information systems and in the COBISS.Net network.
• To attract the interest of libraries in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Kosovo to the opportunity to evolve more rapidly by becoming part of the COBISS.Net network.
• To harmonise cataloguing rules with international recommendations and standards.
• To set up compatible research information systems (SICRIS/E-CRIS) in the participating countries (databases on researchers, research organisations and research projects).
• To encourage the competent ministries and universities of the participating countries to accept the concept of managing researchers' bibliographies within the national library systems and ensure the transparency of the research results.
• To increase the use of research results for the purpose of stimulating innovation processes and economic and social development in the region. (Source)

Bulgarian Newspapers & Journals at the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress' European Reading Room has recently added two valuable lists of serial publications from Bulgaria to their impressive array of digital resources, Bulgarian Newspapers at the Library of Congress and Bulgarian Journals at the Library of Congress. Both lists were compiled by the Bulgarian specialist at LC, Angela Cannon. These are not just lists of titles held. Each entry includes publication information, title changes, LC holdings and links to any online issues.

For those interested in the region, planning research in this country or abroad this is an extremely useful site.

Both the journal and newspaper pages include introductions with bibliographic guides to the topic. The entry information also indicates the format of the material, i.e., film or print, that is available.

Bulgarian National Library Bulgarian National Library with a variety of sources available including the following: Машинен каталог на български и чуждестранни книги Своден каталог на чуждестранните периодични издания в България (1984 - ) Своден каталог на чуждестранните книги (1995 - Статии от българските списания, вестници и сборници