The library on wheels Infobus - a library at will of the farmers

“Knowledge without boundaries” is an EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) motto that we are following. We have overcome these boundaries by “driving” information to the farmers’ yards in the villages in Macedonia. This paper presents the activities and outcomes of the project Library on wheels (Infobus) - library at will of the farmers. This mobile library provides support to the farmers of Shtip and Karbinci municipalities in their effort to acquire knowledge according to their will. It delivers information in the field of agriculture and offers application of ICT skills. Through established Agricultural Corner within the mobile library-INFOBUS, a bus equipped with laptops, high speed internet access and literature from different areas of agriculture it serves the needs of the farmers. This paper also presents the new innovative role of the Regional public and University library Goce Delcev in Shtip, Macedonia and the real purpose of its mobile library-Infobus that replaces 19 of missing rural libraries in the region. The Infobus, passes through 14 villages and 5 suburban parts in Shtip and Karbinci municipalities, offers assistance to the farmers to use information and communication technology for their agricultural needs and other services related to farming. The project “Infobus-Library on wheels-library at will of the farmers” has changed farmers’ lives, as well as library’s picture to serve all target groups even in remote villages and delivered the most needed information for the certain users. The Government subsidies for the agriculture with € 120millions for the year 2012 and offers access to IPARD (Instruments for Pre-Accession Assistant for Rural Development) funds from EU. The driving idea was to train the farmers how to apply for these funds by using their acquired ICT skills and information collected for them. A special web site www.Agrocorner.mk has been developed especially for this purpose.