Unbound Library is a self-initiated public resource project built around free, practical, legally shareable PDFs and guides.

The goal was to create a small, accessible library of useful information: preparedness guides, gardening and sustainability resources, how-to documents, historical texts, digital privacy guides, transportation references, everyday knowledge, and local New Orleans / Louisiana resources.

I started by collecting and organizing public-domain, government, university, nonprofit, and otherwise shareable resources into a searchable download library. The project grew into a structured web app with categories, downloadable PDF cards, search, filtering, grid/list views, category counts, and a dark visual interface designed to make practical documents easier to browse.

The project also expanded beyond the website into ideas for printable mini booklets, zines, local flyers, preparedness packets, and small-format reference materials that could be shared offline.

Unbound Library is part digital archive, part preparedness shelf, and part civic resource experiment. It gave me a place to combine information architecture, web publishing, resource curation, lightweight front-end development, public-interest design, and ongoing content maintenance.

Visit Unbound Library →

What I worked on

• Defined the concept for a free public resource library

• Collected and reviewed legally shareable PDF resources

• Organized resources into practical categories

• Added local New Orleans and Louisiana-specific materials

• Designed the site structure, visual direction, and resource card system

• Built search, filtering, category browsing, grid/list views, and category counts

• Added downloadable PDF cards with titles, descriptions, file sizes, sources, and thumbnails

• Used AI-assisted workflows to speed up resource organization, description writing, code troubleshooting, formatting, and maintenance tasks

• Expanded the library from an early small set into a larger multi-category collection

• Explored print/offline extensions including mini booklets, flyers, zines, and preparedness packets

• Set up basic analytics and site protection tools to keep the project usable and maintainable

AI-assisted workflow

AI tools became part of the project workflow as the library grew. I used ChatGPT to help organize resource categories, refine descriptions, format resource metadata, troubleshoot HTML/CSS/JavaScript updates, and speed up repetitive content work.

The workflow also supported image formatting, file organization, interface copy, category planning, print/zine ideas, and maintenance tasks around hosting, analytics, Cloudflare settings, and site updates. Rather than using AI to replace the design process, I used it as a working assistant to move faster through research, formatting, coding support, and content organization.

Tools, services, and utilities

• GitHub Pages for hosting

• GitHub for version control and publishing

• Cloudflare for DNS, domain management, and WAF/security rules

• HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

• VS Code for editing

• Google Analytics for basic traffic visibility

• Public-domain, government, university, nonprofit, and public-interest PDF sources

• ChatGPT for brainstorming categories, refining descriptions, writing interface copy, organizing resource ideas, and planning printable/offline extensions

Visit Unbound Library →