2000年12月, 中美两国计算机科学家倡导建设百万册数字图书馆项目，进而发展成为全球数字图书馆项目，得到了中国教育部、美国国家科学基金会和印度科学院的重视与支持。2002年9月，项目中方被中国教育部列为“十五”期间“211工程”公共服务体系建设的组成部分，定名为“高等学校中英文图书数字化国际合作计划”,2009年8月更名为“大学数字图书馆国际合作计划”。项目负责人为中国工程院院士潘云鹤先生。

        CADAL项目一期（2001-2006）完成100万册图书数字化，提供便捷的全球可访问的图书浏览服务。CADAL项目二期（2007-2012）新增150万册图书数字化，构建了较完善的项目标准规范体系，初步建设分布全国的服务网络，CADAL项目从单纯的数据收集向技术与服务升级发展转变。2013年以后，CADAL项目进入运维保障期，继续在资源，服务，技术，对外交流合作等方面推进工作。

        In Dec.2000, Computer scientists from China and US jointly initiated the construction of Million Book Digital Library Project (MBP), which later on was developed into the Universal Digital Library (UDL). The proposal was highly valued and supported by the Ministry of Education of China (MOE), the National Science Foundation of USA and the India Academy of Sciences. In Sept.2002,the project was included as a major part of the public service system of the“211 project” of MOE in the 10th Five-year plan, at the time, it was named as the China-America Digital Academic Library (CADAL),and in Aug.2009, was renamed as the China Academic Digital Associative Library. Academician Pan Yunhe, from Chinese Academy of Engineering, is in charge of this project.

        In the first stage of CADAL project (2001-2006), a million books were digitalized for the goal to create a free-to-read, searchable collection of one million books over the internet. In the second stage of CADAL project (2007-2012), another 1.5 million books were digitalized，and the standards & specifications of the project were created. The service network was deployed across the state. The focus of the CADAL project was changed from data collecting to technology support and service supply. Since 2013,  the CADAL project enter the maintenance period, and continue to promote work in resources, services, technology, and cooperation.