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Why is this Westwood librarian hiding phones in library books?

Molly Riportella started BiblioUnderground – an organization to get burner phones and other resources to people who are struggling to get out of violent relationships.

Molly Riportella/BiblioUnderground

February 1, 2024

A Westwood librarian is looking to spread a new idea to help domestic violence victims check out of dangerous situations – with library books.

In 2020, Molly Riportella started BiblioUnderground – an organization to get burner phones and other resources to people struggling to get out of violent relationships.

Riportella’s “Book-it 2 Freedom Kits” are hollowed-out, discarded library books, filled with prepaid burner phones with support resources.

Riportella, who herself was in a violent relationship at one point, said the idea came when she helped a librarian colleague get out of a controlling relationship. She “pre-programmed” an extra phone she had with an email address and social services.

“I’ve been there,” Riportella said in a press release. “That’s how I knew my co-worker needed a phone to get out.”

The next question was how to hide the phone from abusers. Riportella looked to the shelves.

“I take a discarded library book and use a stamp to cover the library stamp, so it can’t be traced back,” Riportella said. “I take off the book jacket and very gently scrape the library bar code off. Then I go through the book and take out about 12 to 15 pages using a quilting cutter. I do it bit by bit.”

Riportella, who pays for the phones herself, said she has already given out three kits.

She hopes that volunteer librarians can take up her cause across the country, she said, and distribute “Book-it 2 Freedom Kits” to support and advocacy groups, health and human service departments, OBGYNs/Medical facilities, and police departments.

“Librarians already have the knowledge and multiple infrastructures to craft and send out Bi2FKs,” Riportella said. “But without an independent organization to connect librarians, provide funding and streamline supplies, (like) phones, postage, et cetera, the network is offline.”