An oligomeric polyol composition comprising: a reaction product formed by heating a polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate in the presence of a catalyst together with a polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups at a temperature sufficient to cause the formation of mixed carbonate linkages between polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate moieties of lower molecular weight than the polycarbonate used as the initial starting material, the reaction product comprising an oligomeric polyol component, the oligomeric polyol component comprising: (a) an oligomeric network comprising residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound derived from the polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate and residues of the at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups comprising either or both of a residue of the at least one polyol and a residue of the polyhydroxylated aromatic compound, the peripheral groups each comprising one or more pendant hydroxyl groups, the peripheral groups being bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units at least a portion of which are carbonate linkages; wherein the residues of the at least one polyol optionally comprise one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups. a reaction product formed by heating a polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate in the presence of a catalyst together with a polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups at a temperature sufficient to cause the formation of mixed carbonate linkages between polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate moieties of lower molecular weight than the polycarbonate used as the initial starting material, the reaction product comprising an oligomeric polyol component, the oligomeric polyol component comprising: (a) an oligomeric network comprising residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound derived from the polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate and residues of the at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups comprising either or both of a residue of the at least one polyol and a residue of the polyhydroxylated aromatic compound, the peripheral groups each comprising one or more pendant hydroxyl groups, the peripheral groups being bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units at least a portion of which are carbonate linkages; (a) an oligomeric network comprising residues of at least one polyhydroxylated aromatic compound derived from the polyhydroxylated aromatic polycarbonate and residues of the at least one polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups; and (b) a plurality of peripheral groups comprising either or both of a residue of the at least one polyol and a residue of the polyhydroxylated aromatic compound, the peripheral groups each comprising one or more pendant hydroxyl groups, the peripheral groups being bound to the oligomeric network by a plurality of linking units at least a portion of which are carbonate linkages; wherein the residues of the at least one polyol optionally comprise one or more oxygen ether groups, one or more amino ether groups, or both one or more oxygen ether groups and one or more amino ether groups.