About LibreLabs
LibreLabs, also known as LLcc, is a non-formal community defending civil liberties in the digital space in Albania.
Founded in 2024 in Tirana, after the closure of the local hackerspace, LibreLabs is dedicated to protecting and empowering user privacy, free libre open-source software/hardware, digital rights, open knowledge, open data, and the public domain. We achieve this by leveraging decades of collective experience from our members in establishing and running grassroots activities to co-create public campaigns.
Our mission is to ensure that digital and tech rights are not optional but established for all citizens living in Albania. We aim to achieve this by working in solidarity with each other as our main principle.
Some of the (main) projects we plan to continue and/or develop in the same or similar fashion as done in our previous efforts:
- CryptoParty Tirana
- Open Source Conference Albania (widely known as OSCAL), but in a different format
- “Public Money, Public Code” campaigns
- Wikimedia Community User Group Albania
- OpenStreetMap Albania
- Linux User Group Albania Tirana (LUG, Albania)
- Localizations & Publications
- Presence in local, regional, or global events to share our knowledge
- Smaller monthly local events to spread the word about our mission.
Public Education and Advocacy
We are committed to expanding our educational outreach by updating existing resources on digital rights to highlight how improved policies and practices can create meaningful impact. We aim to make this topic accessible to a wide audience, and in response to the current ecosystem, the materials will specifically address the avoidant practices of relevant actors.
Enquiries
We are always open to collaborations focused on our fields of interest. Unfortunately, the members of LibreLabs work on LLcc projects in our free time, which means we are quite selective when it comes to inquiries we receive from time to time by third parties. This also means that we usually respond slowly, so keep that in mind when contacting us.
Media
Due to previous experiences we’ve had with various media in Albania, we will most likely not engage with local and regional media until further notice.
Receiving your support/donations
Due to the complexities of getting donations in Albania and the unfair taxation system for initiatives like ours, we are not accepting donations of any kind at the moment.
How can I join LLcc?
We will share more on this soon, when internal procedures, proper digital infrastructure, and other community-related matters are well-defined. Check this space for updates.