diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db171b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "shared_lib"]
+	path = shared_lib
+	url = https://git.rose-ash.com/coop/shared.git
diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index f14e44e..14fd995 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import path_setup  # noqa: F401  # adds shared_lib to sys.path
+
 from quart import g
 
 from shared.factory import create_base_app
diff --git a/path_setup.py b/path_setup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d4c9ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/path_setup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import sys
+import os
+
+# Add the shared library submodule to the Python path
+_shared = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "shared_lib")
+if _shared not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, _shared)
diff --git a/shared_lib b/shared_lib
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..668d9c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared_lib
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 668d9c7df8f3426286abff044c30dc519a43673e