Chapter 1. Introduction

Abstract

Chapter 1 of Library Technology Reports (vol. 56, no. 7), “One Country One Library,” introduces the One Country One Library (OCOL) concept, its vision being to create an open digital library accessible to all people inside the geographic borders of participating countries without restrictions or proof of identity. It also introduces the business model for those wishing to support this idea. The chapter explains why Croatia was chosen as the ideal location to test the OCOL idea and how the project took off in a country where an open multilingual digital library of books and other reading materials would be both welcome and needed.