The COBISS 2005 Conference is over. From 317 attendants from 12 countries and two international organisations – CEI, Central European Initiative, and UNESCO – as may as 124 of them came from abroad. There were 15 directors of national or university libraries that took part at the conference. The attendants had the opportunity to listen to the presentations given by 24 speakers, and to the discussions run by 20 debaters.

Based on the proposals presented and the views expressed by the International Programme Committee, the conference suggests that CEI should become a conceptual framework for the future COBISS conferences. Conference assessments indicate that co-operation and linking of library systems in Central Europe with a view to promote automation is an intermediate stage necessary to be able to approach in the near future the EU digital library projects, and subsequently also be able to get involved with the project work itself. The review of library automation in the CEI countries presented in reports covered a wide range from highly developed to the very basic, which allowed for an excellent exchange of positive experience. In this connection, an important role was attributed to IZUM by the conference attendants based, in particular, on a year-long presence of COBISS in a number of the CEI countries, as well as on the reputation and confidence IZUM has earned over the years with its professional excellence and non-profitable orientation. Besides, COBISS conferences have provided a widely accepted opportunity where professional experience in the automation area could be used and exchanged at the international level. It was, therefore, not surprising that many suggested that IZUM should become also an official reference centre for library automation in Central Europe with the task to analyse the current situation in this area, propose solutions, provide professional training and organise professional meetings.

COBISS 2005 confirmed once again that only an open library system can be a quality library system that effectively links with other systems regionally and globally. As this is also the very concept of COBISS and COBISS.Net network, IZUM will remain loyal to this orientation also at the next conference, scheduled for 7 – 9 November 2006.