Free books for inmates series#
Free books for inmates free#

The requirements differ between institutions and are usually put in place to prevent the promotion of overly violent or sexual themes.

Free books for inmates series#

Once a request is fulfilled, the books are packaged and put through a series of other tests, such as checking if they meet the legal requirements listed on the envelope.

Free books for inmates free#

Newcomers get a brief introduction lasting around ten minutes and are then free to open letters and get to work. In a typical volunteer session, a letter is opened by a “picker,” who will sort through the books, which are hand-organized by genre and range from Webster dictionaries to Japanese manga. Lee Collins, a regular volunteer who runs the library, comments on her favorite parts of helping at the PBP: “Some letters are really moving, as the writers might describe how valuable books have become to them or might share the plans they’re making once they’re released … B y sending books, I feel as if we are humanizing the criminal justice system: recognizing the humanity of people on the inside, showing them respect, reducing the cruelty of the system just a little bit.”īy sending books, I feel as if we are humanizing the criminal justice system: recognizing the humanity of people on the inside, showing them respect, reducing the cruelty of the system just a little bit.” Despite this humble setting, the light chatter between members and the pleasant drone of ruffled papers contributes to a friendly and communal environment. The program itself is not directly connected to a prison-instead, the volunteers add to a makeshift library in the basement of a church and send books to inmates in prisons across the country. Substandard education and minimal access to literature have been widespread problems for prisoners across the country, and the founders sought to pursue a possible solution by receiving donated books and distributing them. Located in Quincy, MA, this non-profit calls upon volunteers to fulfill prisoners’ requests for books, which come in the form of letters.Ĭreated by the Red Book Store Collective in Cambridge in 1972, PBP initially distributed politically progressive literature to inmates.

The Prison Book Program (PBP) is a small organization that strives to educate incarcerated people of all ages and backgrounds through the charitable donation of books.