FOBID was founded in 1974 to improve cooperation between the different types of libraries, institutions for informational and documentary services in the Netherlands and to promote their interests. The most important national library organizations are represented in FOBID:

• Koninklijke bibliotheek, National Library of the Netherlands
• SHB, the cooperative of libraries of Dutch Polytechnics
• UKB, the cooperative of libraries of Dutch universities and the National Library
• VOB, Association of Public Libraries
• KNVI, Royal Dutch Association of Information Professionals

FOBID is a small organisation and most activities are executed by its members and its effectiveness comes from the efforts of the affiliated organizations.