http://wiki.daviddarts.com/PirateBox_DIY
PirateBox is a suite of software designed to turn a small Linux computer into a simple network server. It contains a front page, a simple text chat interface and a file server. It also contains a image archive and forum that can be turned on easily in the configuration file.
It has been tested on a number of devices and has a fairly large community of people using and supporting it. This means that if you have trouble installing it you can get help in a online forum.
This software is a good place to start when you are creating a community network. It is a easy way to create a server that can support some simple information sharing applications. It can host a forum and share files of all kinds.
In addition to customizing the installed applications the look of the entire PirateBox can be modified. A example of this is the LibraryBox branch. This is a modification of the Pirate box to make the software appearance more appropriate for a a library setting.