Online tools are great. They allow one organization to host an entire site in a data-center and allow thousands if not millions of users to access it, often for free. The problem is that as people become dependent on popular services, the resources become centralized. “Free information in the hands of the masses” isn't exactly what we end up with. The result is a system in which the information is organized and distributed by select few, and the average person is at the mercy of Google or Microsoft. (Remember that search results are a product of those company's software, not unbiased web-crawling.) Going up the ladder of network abstraction, we than realize that access to the websites themselves is controlled by a domain name registry that points these pretty URL's that we've grown accustomed to, to a server. And then there's the ISP that may choose to block access to particular sites or services, and governments who may choose to shutdown particular servers because of supposed hate speech or whatever.

In short, resources have been given up by the average Joe and Big Tech has gobbled them up. This poses numerous problems, not the least of which is a world where information is getting harder and harder for average people to obtain. It also promotes dependence upon multiple layers of sensitive infrastructure which aren't indestructible, and reduces the overall stability and reliability of what we know as the Internet.

The solution is for average people to gather the resources they feel are important and distribute them. Share them with friends and family, relatives, neighbors, etc. Paper documents are preferred, but hard to store, and even harder to transport and reproduce. As long as computers and cell phones remain available (which is likely going to be many years) they are valuable means of spreading and storing information. The purpose of BaptistLibrary.net and this Wiki are to spread information. We hope you will download the files you like and share them. We hope you will share links to this website and encourage others to do the same.

There may be a day where average people can't afford Internet service. Maybe they still have electricity and an old laptop or something: this can be used as a library for a church or small community. Old mobile phones can also be used. If paper books are available, they can be shared in local libraries as well. These don't require electricity or any other infrastructure and can last for hundreds of years if cared for. That's how people gathered information decades ago. Word of mouth and printed resources were once our greatest assets. Maybe they'll never become primary sources again, but it is unwise to forget their importance in the not so distant past.

To work towards solving these problems, we have numerous publishers on our wiki:Resources page from which print books can be purchased. Retailers such as AbeBooks and eBay are valuable resources of print books. Many of the websites listed there also have downloadable files. Again, when possible and practical, download the resources you use (or see as important) for future, off-line use.

But the options for circumventing Big-Tech, surveillance, and censorship, don't stop there.

There are multiple ways to create portable libraries that can easily be distributed. This solution would provide an off-line method to share data. However, the problem is that users must meet other users to exchange data unless dead-drops are used. This provides opportunity for exposure or tracking, as if one party is being monitored, the other will be linked to him and be used to create a web of targets. Also, the storage devices may be unavailable in some areas, or likely to be found and confiscated, or physically traced due to finger prints or DNA contamination. Depending on the threat model, these are valid concerns. Nevertheless, simply downloading files and sharing them is a viable option in many situations.

• USB Drives are very useful tools for spreading information. Thousands of files and numerous programs can be stored on thumb-drives of only a few GB in size and be purchased for dollars. USB is a very common protocol and is not likely to become obsolete for many years. Drives should be formatted as FAT or exFAT for best compatibility, or NTFS. Larger external hard drives or SSD's can hold many TB of data including images, audio files, and documents.
• SD or SDHC cards are even smaller than USB drives and can easily be transported. The format is well-established and common, and found on many devices, including ereaders and mobile phones.
• DVD's and CD's are becoming less common, but are still useful. Their life expectancy is several years if stored properly, and they are not affected by magnetic fields, etc. These are useful for smaller libraries and software. Re-writable disks should not be used unless necessary to prevent data loss or corruption. The read-only nature of DVD's and CD's prevent viruses or spyware from being injected to the files if the disks change hands or are used on compromised devices.
• Library Computers can be configured without too much effort. The easiest method is to install Calibre eBook Manager on a desktop PC or laptop. This will create a user-friendly library computer with remote access capabilities.
• Raspberry Pi's can be used to create portable, low-power, and easily stored servers that allow remote access or local viewing if needed. Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian) is similar to Debian Linux, and Calibre is available for this OS as well. If Calibre become unavailable, NGINX or Apache (or FTP or SFTP or TELNET) can be used to host files from the device.
• Tablets and eReaders are two other options. Kobo eReaders and Kindle devices can be hacked (ethically) and loaded with hundreds of files that can be read anywhere without Internet connectivity. They can be charged using commonly available power supplies and solar power banks, just to name a few options. Its best to install KOReader and mount the device as a folder in Calibre. Then, you can upload documents to the device and write the metadata used by Calibre along side it for easy browsing. Files can be copied from the devices onto computers if need be.

There are many countries where people are not allowed to freely access websites with Christian resources hosted on them. They may not be able to freely meet and swap equipment either. These situations require a great deal of planning and caution: unless all involved parties are extremely careful, users may be exposed online or in person.

This is one of the most complex topics to discuss, as it requires an understanding of numerous technologies and protocols to succeed, in addition to an understanding of operations security and critical information. To keep things simple, loose lips sink ships. Sometimes you need to keep sensitive details (critical information) secret, or reserve discussion of those topics for face to face interactions. All digital communications should be considered unsafe and compromised by default. Electronic devices can be used as bugs and trackers and should not be taken to private locations or ones in which sensitive (critical) information is discussed.

If local ISP's or governments are blocking access to one of our websites, a VPN or other tool is needed. Configure the VPN to exit in a country where service is unlikely to be down or censored. TOR is another viable option, but make sure that its use won't get you in trouble: some countries don't like people circumventing censorship or snooping.

Common communication platforms (like Gmail or Facebook Messenger) are compromised. They are not secure, or private. User data is regularly given to law enforcement and government organizations. All communications should be moved to secure decentralized services, or at the very least, secure services. See this page on the Free Software Foundation GNU website for examples of common software that spies on the users. All of the programs below are open source, which means anyone (including you) can view every line of the source code that was used to build the program. Countless people work to patch any security vulnerabilities and expose any that may develop. There is near 100% transparency. The tools are also free to use and modify as you see fit: if you want to download the source to keep on hand for a rainy day, go ahead.

Follow the links for setup instructions.

• Session Messenger is our recommended tool. It is encrypted and anonymous and decentralized. Censorship is very, very hard. The platform should work in most countries without a VPN, and supports group chats and sending images. However, key exchanges must take place face-to-face or over another service to add contacts. Signal could be used to exchange keys, for example.
• Signal Messenger is second on our list. It is also very secure, and because the data is encrypted, censorship is unlikely, but still possible since it relies on a central server for message forwarding. It associates users via phone number, so it is not anonymous. But, as a first-step tool, it is often acceptable, and one of the easiest tools to use.
• XMPP is another option that requires a little more work than Signal or Session. It permits anonymous usage on either public servers or a self-hosted instance. Messages can be encrypted, and because the users hold their encryption keys and not the server, censorship is very unlikely. This system permits large groups and images and file sharing, and more. The XMPP website notes, “NATO use it for tactical chat,” which would seem to indicate an above-average level of security and privacy.
• Simplex is another unique tool. It does not associate any key or hash with the users: each contact makes a unique connection that has no commonalities with any other chat. As a result, it is extremely anonymous and very secure. You must select a server to use for chats: there are several hosted by Simplex, and users can host their own, if desired. Third-party servers could be used as well, decentralizing the platform.

• Paragraph.xyz An anonymous publishing platform with AirWeave integration.
• Nostr.net A decentralized, self-hostable, “open protocol for censorship-resistant global networks.”
• Mirror.xyz A decentralized publishing platform similar to Paragraph, but seemingly more popular.