Core Liberating Structures Books
There are two primary texts written about Liberating Structures(LS). The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures, written by Keith McCandless and Henri Lipmanowicz, was published in 2014 after many years of development and field testing complexity-informed methods. In 2026, Keith and Nancy White published Liberating Structures Fieldbook: Flipping the Script on Meetings, Planning and Progress to capture the evolving practice of LS after a decade of its use—including a worldwide pandemic that accelerated adaptation of LS online.
Core Materials and Creative Commons
What is captured in these two texts is considered foundational. It is what is licensed under Creative Commons. While we celebrate endless innovation, this creative-adaptive system still requires a stable foundation. To maintain clarity across our global network, we identify core shared assets—the ten LS principles, the 43 LS icons, and the foundational step-by-step min specs for each of the 43 structures—remain constant and respected. Think of these core assets as the unwavering DNA of LS, and your riffs as the beautiful, adaptive traits that help it thrive in new habitats. Together, under our shared Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License, we ensure that every breakthrough stays open and available for everyone, forever. Learn more about the license.
Translations and Other Materials
The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures (2014) in various linguistic forms.
The 2014 book has been translated into seven languages and is used around the world.
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