The Culture Information Systems Centre is a direct administration institution under the authority of the Ministry of Culture, which operates on the basis of Cabinet Regulation No. 928 of 18 December 2012, by-law of the Culture Information Systems Centre and sector policy planning documents.
The Centre's mission is to help culture memory institutions – archives, libraries and museums – preserve and make available cultural heritage for future generations through the latest information technology solutions. In order to implement this, the Centre shall develop information systems for libraries, archives, museums and other cultural and educational institutions, ensuring the availability of stored sources of information and cultural values to the public. The Centre shall also establish cooperation with other national regulatory authorities, by introducing modern language technology and artificial intelligence solutions in the public administration to facilitate the effective communication of citizens with the public administration and the availability of information.
The initial establishment of the Centre as a State institution is linked to 1997, when the processing, storage and distribution of information was launched in libraries and a non-profit organization in the country's “Library Information Networks Consortium” (Consortium), was created in the country and with an aim to create an electronic, country-wide library information network. The task was realized by creating the National United Library Information System, the maintenance and development of which was entrusted to the Consortium.
In 24 December 2003, the Cabinet issued Order No 817, which stipulated that the state of the non-profit organization “Library Information Networks Consortium” is being reorganized and until 1 February 2004 the state agency “Culture Information Systems”, which is the successor to the functions and liabilities of the Consortium, should be established. The establishment of a national agency extended the by launching digitization projects aimed at heritage preservation and accessibility also in other culture memory institutions, such as archives and museums.
In 1 January 2013, on the basis of Cabinet Regulation No. 928 of 18 December 2012, Regulation No. 928 of the Culture Information Systems Centre, the legal status of the state agency “Cultural Information Systems” is changed, becoming the direct administration institution under the authority of the Ministry of Culture - Culture Information Systems Centre.