Research Poster: Librarians in Correctional Settings
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Correctional libraries face unique challenges in providing library services to incarcerated individuals. They must balance security needs with facilitating access to information and rehabilitation programs. This requires librarians to accept certain restrictions like censorship of materials deemed a security threat. Partnerships with outside libraries can help broaden collections and programs for inmates. The future of prison libraries relies on greater public understanding and cooperation between librarians and correctional officials.
![PRISON LIBRARIES
Importance and Challenges of Professional Library Services in Correctional Settings
Aileen M. J. Marshall amarshall@sc.edu
Abstract
The concept of libraries in detention centers is not a new one. In 1879, a group of incarcerated offenders
founded a library in a Utah penitentiary. Locked away and disconnected from the world, inmates have a
need for information, now more than ever. Many countries still reject the idea of providing inmates free
access to information and books is still not widely accepted in todays world. As education and rehabilitation
become increasingly important in our country's detention centers, libraries can become an integral part,
Freedom on the Inside providing materials to inmates and staff. Correctional libraries work in a unique environment, which Unique Challenges
requires all staff to adhere to security standards. This often interferes with professional beliefs and ethics
and requires librarians to accept restrictions.
May the Mind be Free Censorship & Access to Information
We roamed the moors of Yorkshire in Wuthering Heights; we Censorship and restricted access to information is not uncommon.
tramped the roads of Devon in Tess of the d'Urbervilles; we Partners on the Outside Librarians Behind Bars There are many similarities to public libraries (i.e. collection
attended school in early Iowa in Hamlin Garland's Life on the Public and academic libraries can be of great value to You work where? Isnt that dangerous? Do you development according to the communitys needs), but correctional
Prairie; we suffered with Abe's Mary Todd Lincoln in Love Is prison libraries. Due to budget cuts and the fact that have a gun? Pepper spray? At least an alarm librarians must be prepared to accept certain restrictions. Probably
Eternal; []; we explored the floor of the ocean in The Blue of the latter often cater more to recreational readers and button? Why do you work with these people the touchiest subject among prison librarians is censorship. Certain
the Pacific; we quested religion in the pages of the Bible and GED students, academic and study materials are rare. anyway they wont change! These are just a materials pose a threat to security and are therefore banned from
Koran and the ways of man in The Works of Shakespeare. Inmates who would like to take college classes also few things that jail librarians hear when they the shelves. Publications promoting radical and militant viewpoints
And we had thus, almost almost literally, freedom in cant rely on online information as they do not have talk about their job. And no matter how much as well as true-crime books are usually not added to the collection.
captivity. (Sutherland, Freedom in Captivity, 1996) access to the internet. Collaboration between the emphasis is put on education and rehabilitation, Magazines are inspected, and any pages displaying nudity or other
prison and libraries on the outside is beneficial for they have to admit that security and maintaining sexually explicit content will be censored or ripped out. Censorship
everybody who is involved. Inmates experience that control over the inmate population is always often happens arbitrarily as detention facilities have not yet adapted
somebody on the outside cares about him/her by first priority. In a setting that strives to balance any kind of guidelines regarding this issue.
offering an interlibrary loan program. The general public safety and offender rehabilitation,
public can learn about their librarys partnership with successful librarians need to have the necessary
a jail or prison. They can thus learn about inmates qualifications in library science, and the ability
needs, their reality, and how important it is to educate to work effectively in the prison environment.
offenders. This includes following policies and procedures,
treating every inmate the same way (firm, fair,
Changing Lives through Literature and consistent), maintaining control over the
Once the gates close, offenders become part of a inmate population at all times, and being able to
disadvantaged sub-society which is often poor and manage the entire library, sometimes just with
powerless. The program Changing lives through the help of inmate assistants who need constant
Literature (CLTL) was founded in Massachusetts as supervision.
an alternative sentencing program. It focuses on the
Education & Rehabilitation power of literature to transform lives through reading Cultural Diversity
Research shows a positive connection between participation in and group discussion. It allows offenders to stay out of Librarians have to cope with increasing cultural
educational programs and reduced recidivism. Unfortunately, jail but requires them to participate in this program on diversity in detention facilities, which poses
not enough inmates show interest in programs offered by their a regular basis. They learn through the actions of communication difficulties and cultural
jail. They are stuck in their ways of thinking and dont see fictional characters to identify thought patterns and You found what in a book?
misunderstandings, i.e. male offenders do not Additionally to their traditional duty of providing meaningful
education as important and helpful. Structured programs that how decisions can make or break lives. accept female staff as authorities. Library
focus on changing the offenders attitude and beliefs are (http://cltl.umassd.edu/home-flash.cfm) information services, they are also obligated to control the inmate
collections and programs have to be adapted to populations use and spreading of contraband. The term contraband
offered in many institutions. However, programs are not accommodate speakers of all cultures and
always mandatory, and inmates wont participate unless describes all items inmates are forbidden to acquire, possess and
languages. trade, according to the facilitys policies and regulations. Libraries
he/she believes in the ability to change. The library can work
with teachers and counselors to make sessions interesting and are preferred places to hide and exchange contraband. Library
supplies make excellent parts for weapons and other items that
obtain up-to-date information without straining the budget The Future of Prison Libraries might compromise the security. Correctional librarians must be
too much. Librarians can expand the librarys mission beyond The key to providing meaningful library services to incarcerated offenders is acceptance and
literacy and recreational reading. They can offer a welcoming aware and remain on alert while inmates visit the library. Failure to
partnership. The public needs to understand that this type of service is vital for people in jail or comply with security standards can result in disciplinary actions or
atmosphere and work on transforming the library into an prison as they will eventually re-enter society and need to be prepared. Partnerships between libraries
exiting place that sparks interest in different kinds of in staff members getting hurt.
inside and outside of detention facilities can partner to ensure a broader variety of reading and study Funny Fact: The most curious thing that has ever been found in a
literature and information. material. To achieve these goals, we need to foster the dialog between librarians and prison officials. book was a piece of cooked ham. Maybe it served as bookmark?](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/researchposteraileenmarshall-120319105002-phpapp02/85/Research-Poster-Librarians-in-Correctional-Settings-1-320.jpg)
Research Poster: Librarians in Correctional Settings
- 1. PRISON LIBRARIES Importance and Challenges of Professional Library Services in Correctional Settings Aileen M. J. Marshall amarshall@sc.edu Abstract The concept of libraries in detention centers is not a new one. In 1879, a group of incarcerated offenders founded a library in a Utah penitentiary. Locked away and disconnected from the world, inmates have a need for information, now more than ever. Many countries still reject the idea of providing inmates free access to information and books is still not widely accepted in todays world. As education and rehabilitation become increasingly important in our country's detention centers, libraries can become an integral part, Freedom on the Inside providing materials to inmates and staff. Correctional libraries work in a unique environment, which Unique Challenges requires all staff to adhere to security standards. This often interferes with professional beliefs and ethics and requires librarians to accept restrictions. May the Mind be Free Censorship & Access to Information We roamed the moors of Yorkshire in Wuthering Heights; we Censorship and restricted access to information is not uncommon. tramped the roads of Devon in Tess of the d'Urbervilles; we Partners on the Outside Librarians Behind Bars There are many similarities to public libraries (i.e. collection attended school in early Iowa in Hamlin Garland's Life on the Public and academic libraries can be of great value to You work where? Isnt that dangerous? Do you development according to the communitys needs), but correctional Prairie; we suffered with Abe's Mary Todd Lincoln in Love Is prison libraries. Due to budget cuts and the fact that have a gun? Pepper spray? At least an alarm librarians must be prepared to accept certain restrictions. Probably Eternal; []; we explored the floor of the ocean in The Blue of the latter often cater more to recreational readers and button? Why do you work with these people the touchiest subject among prison librarians is censorship. Certain the Pacific; we quested religion in the pages of the Bible and GED students, academic and study materials are rare. anyway they wont change! These are just a materials pose a threat to security and are therefore banned from Koran and the ways of man in The Works of Shakespeare. Inmates who would like to take college classes also few things that jail librarians hear when they the shelves. Publications promoting radical and militant viewpoints And we had thus, almost almost literally, freedom in cant rely on online information as they do not have talk about their job. And no matter how much as well as true-crime books are usually not added to the collection. captivity. (Sutherland, Freedom in Captivity, 1996) access to the internet. Collaboration between the emphasis is put on education and rehabilitation, Magazines are inspected, and any pages displaying nudity or other prison and libraries on the outside is beneficial for they have to admit that security and maintaining sexually explicit content will be censored or ripped out. Censorship everybody who is involved. Inmates experience that control over the inmate population is always often happens arbitrarily as detention facilities have not yet adapted somebody on the outside cares about him/her by first priority. In a setting that strives to balance any kind of guidelines regarding this issue. offering an interlibrary loan program. The general public safety and offender rehabilitation, public can learn about their librarys partnership with successful librarians need to have the necessary a jail or prison. They can thus learn about inmates qualifications in library science, and the ability needs, their reality, and how important it is to educate to work effectively in the prison environment. offenders. This includes following policies and procedures, treating every inmate the same way (firm, fair, Changing Lives through Literature and consistent), maintaining control over the Once the gates close, offenders become part of a inmate population at all times, and being able to disadvantaged sub-society which is often poor and manage the entire library, sometimes just with powerless. The program Changing lives through the help of inmate assistants who need constant Literature (CLTL) was founded in Massachusetts as supervision. an alternative sentencing program. It focuses on the Education & Rehabilitation power of literature to transform lives through reading Cultural Diversity Research shows a positive connection between participation in and group discussion. It allows offenders to stay out of Librarians have to cope with increasing cultural educational programs and reduced recidivism. Unfortunately, jail but requires them to participate in this program on diversity in detention facilities, which poses not enough inmates show interest in programs offered by their a regular basis. They learn through the actions of communication difficulties and cultural jail. They are stuck in their ways of thinking and dont see fictional characters to identify thought patterns and You found what in a book? misunderstandings, i.e. male offenders do not Additionally to their traditional duty of providing meaningful education as important and helpful. Structured programs that how decisions can make or break lives. accept female staff as authorities. Library focus on changing the offenders attitude and beliefs are (http://cltl.umassd.edu/home-flash.cfm) information services, they are also obligated to control the inmate collections and programs have to be adapted to populations use and spreading of contraband. The term contraband offered in many institutions. However, programs are not accommodate speakers of all cultures and always mandatory, and inmates wont participate unless describes all items inmates are forbidden to acquire, possess and languages. trade, according to the facilitys policies and regulations. Libraries he/she believes in the ability to change. The library can work with teachers and counselors to make sessions interesting and are preferred places to hide and exchange contraband. Library supplies make excellent parts for weapons and other items that obtain up-to-date information without straining the budget The Future of Prison Libraries might compromise the security. Correctional librarians must be too much. Librarians can expand the librarys mission beyond The key to providing meaningful library services to incarcerated offenders is acceptance and literacy and recreational reading. They can offer a welcoming aware and remain on alert while inmates visit the library. Failure to partnership. The public needs to understand that this type of service is vital for people in jail or comply with security standards can result in disciplinary actions or atmosphere and work on transforming the library into an prison as they will eventually re-enter society and need to be prepared. Partnerships between libraries exiting place that sparks interest in different kinds of in staff members getting hurt. inside and outside of detention facilities can partner to ensure a broader variety of reading and study Funny Fact: The most curious thing that has ever been found in a literature and information. material. To achieve these goals, we need to foster the dialog between librarians and prison officials. book was a piece of cooked ham. Maybe it served as bookmark?