It is the aim of the Central Online + Open Access Library (COOL) to provide an open online platform (reference library) and an open online reference and linking system (reference catalogue) for the scientific electronic publications of scientific associations and organisations. Thereby, only publications will be referenced and inter-linked for which the full reference, the abstract or summary, and the full text of the article are accessible online at no extra charge for readers.

In this way, the Central Online + Open Access Library (COOL) fulfils the requirements of several national and international initiatives for free-access, online publications (e.g. BOAI, SPARC, FIGARO, etc.), and at the same time, it provides maximum visibility and impact for the authors and their research.