How to Add a New Text to The Anarchist Library

Updated

You can start a submission from the Add a new text link in the site navigation, but that link is only the entry point — the actual work is preparing a clean, correctly sourced text and then coordinating with the library's volunteer editors. The Anarchist Library is a curated archive, not a self-publishing platform, so expect your submission to be reviewed, formatted, and possibly discussed before it appears.

Before you submit: what the library expects

The site itself does not publish a single public checklist for submissions, so the practical requirements come from how the library is organized and how its community operates. Based on the site structure and available channels, prepare for these points:

  • Source and provenance. The library collects anarchist texts. Be ready to state where the text came from — original publication, translation, pamphlet, zine, or web source — and who wrote it.
  • Rights and licensing. Do not assume a text can be republished just because it is online. Confirm the copyright or license status, or that the author/rights holder permits redistribution, before submitting.
  • Formatting. The library presents texts as clean, readable documents with consistent structure (title, author, body, sometimes topics). Expect to supply plain, well-structured text rather than a scanned image or a messy copy-paste.
  • Accuracy. Typos, broken footnotes, and missing attribution are the most common reasons a submission needs back-and-forth. Proofread before you send.

Step-by-step: from the homepage to a submitted text

  1. Open the site and find the entry point. On the homepage navigation you will see Add a new text. This is the starting link for contributions.
  2. Read how the project works first. Visit About the project to understand the library's purpose and how it is maintained. This tells you whether your text fits the collection.
  3. Check whether the text already exists. Use Search, Titles, Authors, and Topics to confirm the text is not already archived. Duplicates waste editor time.
  4. Prepare the text. Produce a clean copy with:
    • exact title
    • author name (and translator, if any)
    • the full body text
    • source/publication details
    • any footnotes or endnotes preserved
  5. Submit through Add a new text. Follow the form or instructions presented there. If the process is unclear, do not guess — ask first (see next section).
  6. Respond to editor feedback. A volunteer may ask about sourcing, rights, or formatting. Answer promptly and precisely.
  7. Verify publication. After it goes live, check the entry under Latest entries, and confirm the title, author, and topics are correct.

Getting help from the community

If you are unsure about rights, formatting, or whether a text belongs, use the library's own communication channels rather than submitting blind:

  • Live Chat (IRC/Matrix) — for quick questions and coordination.
  • SHH! THIS IS A LIBRARY! (forums) — for longer discussions.
  • About the project — for background on the project's scope and norms.

These are the channels the site lists; there is no indication of a paid support tier or a guaranteed response time, so treat replies as volunteer-paced.

Common sticking points

Problem What to do
You don't know the copyright status Ask in Live Chat or the forums before submitting
The text is a scan or image Transcribe it into clean text first
The text is in another language Check the list of sister libraries (French, German, Spanish, Chinese, and many others) — it may belong there instead
You can't find the submission form Re-check the Add a new text link in the navigation; if it still fails, ask in chat
Your submission seems ignored Follow up in the community channels; this is a volunteer-run project

A realistic example

Suppose you want to add a 1970s English-language pamphlet that is not yet in the archive. You search Titles and Authors, find nothing, confirm with the publisher that redistribution is allowed, transcribe the pamphlet into clean text with footnotes intact, and submit via Add a new text. An editor then checks the source and formatting, possibly asks you to clarify the rights, and the text appears under Latest entries once accepted. If instead the pamphlet is in Spanish, the Spanish-language sister library is the better destination.

What this means for you

The Anarchist Library accepts contributions through Add a new text, but the real gate is preparation: correct sourcing, clear rights, and clean formatting. Use About the project to judge fit, the community channels to resolve uncertainty, and the sister libraries when the text is not in English. If you can supply a well-sourced, well-formatted text and answer editor questions, you have what the process requires.