Find volunteers

Tap into existing local communities working toward themes that align with abolition and collective liberation to gauge interest from potential volunteers. Start with your personal networks and then expand into community spaces you know are aligned.

Where to look:

Personal networks
Community Signal chats
Instagram accounts (i.e. student-run orgs, accounts dedicated to disability justice, abolition, reproductive justice, Sudan, Palestine, anti-Zionism etc.)
Library events (make sure you have an email/social media account/website where you can direct interested volunteers)

Discuss expectations and short-term vision

Starting with a small, manageable vision is key to preventing overwhelm!

Consider discussing the following with your new volunteer group:

Values & Vision

What are the core values of your collective?
How do you want to work together to realize your liberation library?
What is the scope of your project (i.e. how long do you want the project last, how big or small do you want your library to be)?
What activities do you want your library to prioritize (i.e. lending, fundraising for individuals in Gaza, educational programming)?
How will we sustain our projects (i.e. realistic expectations, boundaries, breaks, etc)

Operations

Where will we be primarily communicating?
Who is responsible for which tasks?
What resources do we need and what resources do we have?
How can we harness our own networks for needs like printing, book donations, event organizing?
Do we need to consider any liabilities (i.e. tax liability if you are dealing with any significant amount of money)

Volunteer Management

What does each volunteer’s capacity look like in these first few months?
Do volunteers have specific skills that may be useful? (i.e. library work, social media, community outreach etc.)
How will volunteers sign up for events?

Library Management

What kinds of books are we hoping to collect?
Will we be vetting authors and if so, what are the parameters?
How will we track check-outs and returns?
Where will we be keeping track of our catalog and other information?

Programming & Events

What kinds of events are we hoping to bring the library to?
How can we collaborate with existing organizers in our communities to ensure we respect and amplify their work by supplementing efforts through the library’s free, accessible political education?

Start collecting books and related materials

Look to publishers/orgs offering free books for liberation libraries, such as:

Don’t skimp on Buy Nothing groups on Facebook/the BuyNothing app, where neighbors may share books, shelves, labels and other useful materials for library upkeep, organization and build. You can also post items you’re looking for on these groups.
Reach out to individual authors who may be interested in potentially donating their books.
Consider social media callouts among friends/family/other networks to collect book/material donations.

The build

Once you have about ~10-15 books aligned with your themes, you should be ready for your first event!

Think about how you plan to display/transport your mini library. Keep in mind, and make sure volunteers are aware, that dealing with books and bookshelves inevitably requires lifting moderately heavy items.

Some suggestions to start:

A small folding table
Folding bookshelves (what we use!)
Stacked bins or crates
A notebook or laptop to track check-outs and returns
Other items worth looking into:

A foldable wagon to lug around your mobile library
A tarp to protect your precious goods from weather
A DIY/printed sign that makes clear what you’re doing
A couple of folding chairs or blankets for volunteers/patrons

Atlanta’s Refaat Mobile Library Model

How many volunteers did we start with?

The Refaat Mobile Library launched with only 2-3 volunteers, so don’t feel pressured to create a larger collective before starting.

Where do volunteers primarily communicate?

Signal + Slack

What kinds of books do we collect?

All genres! We primarily focus on themes of: abolition, collective liberation, anti-Zionism, Palestine, Indigenous experiences (Turtle Island and globally), anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, healing through community/radical joy and Black liberation.

Do we vet authors and if so, what are the parameters?

Yes, we vet authors. Our primary parameter is that they must stand, unequivocally, for Palestinian liberation from Zionist occupation. We also consider other factors, such as known harassment or unethical behavior, public displays of bigotry, etc. While remaining diligent, we try to keep in mind that it can be hard to know everything about every author and course correct promptly when necessary.

What does a volunteer's capacity look like?

Within the full library membership, there is a “Core Committee” charged with managing coordination of library projects and operations (i.e. managing the library catalog, tracking expenses, handling donations and mailing). Any library volunteer can serve on the CC based on interest and availability. The roles are dependent on how large the library/upkeep is at any given time. The CC is a rotating position with a minimum commitment of 3 months. Beyond these roles, volunteers participate by signing up for event shifts, helping maintain the library, and offering their skills for specific tasks.

Do volunteers have specific skills that are useful?

Our volunteers have a wide array of skills, from writing to graphic design to event planning to previous library work and beyond. When volunteers apply to join our team, we ask about the skills they’d like to contribute.

How do volunteers sign up for shifts?

We’ve toyed with a few free platforms but as of July 2024 are using volunteersignup.org.

Where do we keep track of our catalog and other information?

We keep track of our catalog via Sheets.

How do we track check-outs?

During in-person pop-ups, we use a notepad to track check-outs and returns. We ask volunteers to mark the book title, author, borrower name and borrower contact. One volunteer is assigned to update the catalog after their shift.

And returns?

When it comes to returns, we have a policy of sending a “gentle” reminder via text to borrowers two weeks from check-out date to ask them to check our pop-up calendar. However, these are “soft” deadlines; all returns are based on an honor system. Note that because we’ve grown so quickly, we are considering secure automated text reminders.

What kinds of events do we bring the library to?

The Refaat Mobile Library’s first events were held on Atlanta university campuses as a response to the police violence that made it impossible for students to hold down physical encampments of their own. Since then, we’ve expanded to bringing free political education to a variety of events hosted by radical communities in Atlanta. Events include solidarity events of all sorts, from community market fundraisers for Gaza and Sudan to teach-ins on policing, resistance art exhibits, Juneteenth celebrations, zine-making workshops and more.

How do we collaborate with existing organizers in our communities to ensure we respect and amplify their work by offering free, accessible political education?

We look to our local abolition and justice organizations, such as the Stop Cop City movement, Save Weelaunee Coalition, ATL Radical Art, and Black Alliance for Peace among others to coordinate a place for us at their planned programming. We consider it an honor to join the organizers who have been doing this work for years. Starting in safe spaces, especially if you’re concerned about Zionist counter protesters or police presence, is highly encouraged.

How do people contact us?

We created an Instagram account to start but you should expect DMs to overflow quickly once you go live. The library also set up a free email account early on to direct interested volunteers, organizers and library patrons when they want to reach us. We have since created a website with built-in contact forms due to a high volume of requests.

Share link: bit.ly/startliberationlibrary