# Books Books are the foundation of RelayBook. A **Book** is a shared collection of contacts — like a folder that your whole team can access together. > [!quote] Organize with Purpose > Every relationship belongs somewhere. Books give your contacts a ==home== that your whole team can find and use. ## What is a Book? A Book is a named collection of contacts with: - A **name** that describes its purpose - A **color** for quick visual identification - An **icon** for personality - **Members** with defined roles (Owner, Member, Viewer) - Its own set of **labels** for categorization > [!highlight] Examples > - "Sales Leads" — prospects your sales team is tracking > - "Vendors" — suppliers and service providers > - "Event Speakers" — contacts for an upcoming conference > - "Personal Contacts" — your private address book ## Creating a Book 1. Click the **+** button in the book rail (left sidebar) 2. Enter a **name** for your book 3. Choose a **color** and **icon** 4. Click **Create** Your new book appears in the sidebar, ready for contacts. > [!tip] Your first book > When you sign up, RelayBook automatically creates a personal book for you (e.g., "John's Contacts"). You can rename it, customize it, or create additional books anytime. ## Customizing a Book Book owners can customize: - **Name** → rename to reflect its purpose - **Color** → choose a hex color for the sidebar and UI - **Icon** → select an emoji or custom icon These visual cues make it easy to switch between books at a glance. ## Book Rail The **Book Rail** is the vertical sidebar on the left side of the app. It shows all books you have access to. - Click a book to switch to it - Each book shows its color and icon - Use keyboard shortcuts `Cmd/Ctrl + 1–9` to quickly switch between books ## Deleting a Book > [!note] Owner-only action > Only the book **Owner** can delete a book, and only if they are the **sole owner**. This prevents accidental deletion of shared resources. Deleting a book removes all contacts and labels within it. This action cannot be undone. ## Why Books Matter - **Separation** → keep different contact groups distinct and focused - **Collaboration** → share the right contacts with the right people - **Organization** → each book has its own labels, members, and structure - **Access control** → roles define who can view, edit, or manage > [!success] The Key Idea > Books are your organizational units. Create one for each distinct group of contacts, invite the right team members, and let everyone work from the same source of truth. --- **Next:** Understand who can do what with [[Roles & Permissions]].