> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://labs.laer.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a Library

Libraries in Epiq AI are curated lists of known entities and reference data that give workflow components a head start on entity identification and classification.

**Prerequisite:** Compile your list in CSV or XLSX format. For a privilege matter, that usually means known attorneys and relevant domains — law firms, client organizations, and opposing parties.

### Create a person, organization, or prompt library

1. In the **Project space** menu, select **Libraries**.
2. Click **Create a library** and select the type:
   * **Person**
   * **Organization**
   * **Prompt**
3. Complete the **Basics**:
   * **Name.** Required.
   * **Client Orgs.** Optional. Select one or more client organizations to scope the library to them. Leave it empty to keep the library global and available to all.
   * **Apply to projects.** Optional. Select the projects that should use the library. You can assign projects later from the library detail panel. This field does not appear when you create the library from inside a project — that project is applied automatically.
   * **Description.** Optional, up to 300 characters.
4. Click **Save**.
5. On the **Libraries** page, select the new library.
6. Select **Import data**.
7. Select your upload type:
   * **Append.** Inserts only the rows whose key field is new to the library. Rows matching an existing entry are skipped, leaving that entry untouched.
   * **Overlay.** Inserts new rows and updates existing entries that match on the key field.
8. Click to upload your list (CSV or XLSX format).
   * Download a library template here, if needed.
9. Click **Save**.

<Info>
  Creating a library from inside a project associates it with that project's client automatically when you do not choose client organizations yourself. A library carrying client organizations can only be applied to that client's projects.
</Info>

### Create a custom library

A custom library has no fixed columns — you define them. Creation is therefore a two-step flow: **Basics**, then **Columns**.

1. In the **Project space** menu, select **Libraries**.
2. Click **Create a library** and select **Custom**.
3. Complete the **Basics** as described above, then click **Next**.
4. Define the **Columns**. Each column has:
   * **Field name.** Required.
   * **Field type.** Text, Term, Number, Date, Boolean, Object, ID, Doc ID, Entity, Tag, or User.
   * **Key field.** Exactly one column must be the key field. This is the column Overlay imports match on, and the column the library is searched by.
   * **Required.** Whether an entry must carry a value for this column.
   * **Description.** Optional guidance shown with the column.
5. Optional. Rather than defining columns by hand, click **Import from file** and upload a CSV or Excel file. Epiq AI reads the header row and creates one column per header, marking the first as the key field. This **replaces** the current columns, and you set the type for each afterward.
6. Drag the rows to set column order, then click **Create library**.

<Warning>
  If you close the dialog at the Columns step, the library is created **without columns** and cannot be used until you add them. Epiq AI warns you when this is about to happen. Add columns later from the library actions menu.
</Warning>

To change a custom library's columns after creation, open the library and use **Manage columns**. To get an import file that matches them, download the library's template — its headers are the column names you defined.

### Apply an existing library to a project

1. In the **Project space** menu, select **Libraries**.
2. Select the library.
3. On the **Projects** tab, search for the project and assign it.

To stop a project from using a library, unlink it on the same tab. Every other project keeps the library.