The Institute of Information Science (IZUM) is a public institution established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia as an information infrastructural service for Slovenian science, culture and education. Along with other agents of information activities in the country, it ensures Slovenia an entrance to the streams of the modern world's information society. This defines its mission; its functions are specified in the Foundation Act, passed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. According to the Research and Development Act, it is defined as a public infrastructural institution and registered as a research organisation as well. According to the Librarianship Act, it is defined as a library information service in the COBISS.SI national bibliographic system. On the scientific and professional basis, IZUM co-operates with similar organisations worldwide; in accordance with the guidelines of its founder, it has also expanded its activities abroad. The activities of IZUM are mainly engaged in the development and operation of the COBISS system and services (Co-operative Online BIbliographic System and Services), which represents the core of the library information system in Slovenia and of library information systems in some other countries linked in the COBISS.Net network (Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Albania). IZUM develops the Information system on research in Slovenia - SICRIS (Slovenian Current Research Information System), which not only includes data on research organisations, researchers and research projects, but also supports the development of similar systems (E-CRIS) in other countries. On the basis of consortium agreements with foreign e-resource providers, IZUM provides users in Slovenia with free access to different foreign databases and services (Web of Science, OCLC FirstSearch, ProQuest, etc.).
