---
title: "Deploy index-library-template"
description: "Railway template for index_library: of books and objects, phone scan + lend"
category: "Other"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/index-library-template
---

# Deploy index-library-template

Railway template for index_library: of books and objects, phone scan + lend

**[Deploy index-library-template on Railway](https://railway.com/template/index-library-template)**

Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/index-library-template/manifest.json

- **Creator:** jakehorsey's Projects
- **Category:** Other

## Template content

### library

- **Image:** ghcr.io/cheewee2000/index-library:latest
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

## Deploy and Host Index Library on Railway

Index Library is a single-owner library of books and objects: searchable private notes, collections, share tiers and private links for visitors, lending with due dates, and a phone scanner that files a book from its barcode or cover. This template runs the hosted container (`ghcr.io/cheewee2000/index-library`) with a volume at `/data` for the database, photos and history.

## About Hosting Index Library

One service, one volume. The container runs the Flask app under gunicorn on port 8080 with SQLite on the volume; nothing else is needed. The owner signs in with `LIBRARY_PASSWORD`, which is generated for each deployment and can be changed under the service's variables. `LIBRARY_TIER` starts at `shared` (public tiers and private links on, AI off); switching to `full` on the Settings page and pasting an Anthropic API key there turns on cover reading and the librarian. Settings → History keeps every change in a Mercurial repository on the volume, and Download the repository saves it as one file for another computer. Updates are deliberate: the app shows a line when a newer version exists and never installs anything by itself; redeploy the service to move to the newest image.

## Why Deploy Index Library on Railway?

The scanner is a phone in a browser, so the library has to be at an address the phone can reach from anywhere, over HTTPS; Railway gives it that address, the certificate, and a volume that survives redeploys. One owner per install, no accounts to run, visitors see only what the owner shares.

## Common Use Cases

- A personal library scanned shelf by shelf from a phone, with private notes and where each book lives.
- A shared shelf for a studio or a house: what is here, what can be borrowed, who has it.
- A collection of objects, records and zines with photos, captions and lending history.

## Dependencies for Index Library Hosting

- The container image `ghcr.io/cheewee2000/index-library:latest` (public).
- A volume mounted at `/data`.
- Optional: an Anthropic API key for cover reading and the librarian, a Google Books API key for cover lookups.

### Deployment Dependencies

- [Index Library on GitHub](https://github.com/cheewee2000/index-library) (private while the name is being settled; ask for access).
- [Anthropic API keys](https://platform.claude.com) for the AI features.

### Implementation Details

The image sets `LIBRARY_DATA=/data`, `LIBRARY_SECURE_COOKIE=1` and `PORT=8080`; the template carries the same values so they can be changed if needed. Health check: `GET /api/me`. Version: `GET /api/version`.

https://library-production-13e3.up.railway.app/static/icons/icon-512.png

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