How Buckinghamshire’s Early Children’s Book Collection found a place in cyberspace: Florence Nightingale would be amazed

This article uses a narrative to describe the way in which one project, centred round the restoration of a collection of historic children’s books, developed into a much wider international project. It looks at the managerial issues and some of the technical issues concerned and draws a number of conclusions about how such projects can be developed. In particular it looks at the role of partnership, project management and the frequently under‐appreciated role of publicity and promotion. It examines the ways in which project partners need to agree criteria and methods of working, as well as the key role played by specialist staff and various supporting organisations.