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UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

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Page 1: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Exploring Prison Librarianship

Becca SorgertExploringPrisonLibrarianship.wordpress.com

Page 2: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

My Experiences come from…» Champaign County Jails

˃ Library services through Books To Prisoners+ Circulation, Readers’ Advisory, Weeding, Collection Development

of Urban Fiction with Statistics Project˃ Poetry Group

+ Weekly program with 8 poets+ Writing, reading, sharing, learning+ Partnership with JDC and The Beat Within

» Education Justice Project˃ Practicum ˃ Danville Correctional Center

» IDOC˃ Practicum

Page 3: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

PIC: Prison Industrial Complex

» a term we use to describe the overlapping interests of government and industry that use surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to economic, social and political problems.

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Types of Prison Librarians» Terminator

˃ Lose all rights

» Church Lady˃ Distrusts prisoners

» Realist˃ Fair, patron driven

» People Pleaser˃ Security Risk

» Crusader˃ JUSTICE!!!!!!!

» Parabarian˃ Paralegal + Librarian

Page 8: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Key Librarians» Glennor Shirley

˃ “She was often asked why taxpayer money should be used to make a prisoner’s life more rewarding. Her standard answer: She wants to help them become taxpayers again. Without an education, she’d say, that’s impossible”

˃ Critique: “conform to institutional rules for an opportunity to be with their families”

˃ PrisonLibrarian.blogspot.com

» Brenda Vogel˃ “it only works under the heroic leadership of a

librarian who is passionate, imaginative, cunning, conniving, creative, and convincing, a librarian who knows the course and stays the course and who keeps the library true to form in sight of the madness, corruption, and cynicism of the environment.”

˃ The Prison Library Primer: A Program for the Twenty-First Century

Page 9: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Patrons as People» ALA’s Prisoners’ Right to Read

˃ “When the prison gates slam behind an inmate, he does not lose his human quality; his mind does not become closed to ideas; his intellect does not cease to feed on a free and open interchange of opinions; his yearning for self-respect does not end; nor is his quest for self-realization concluded. If anything, the needs for identity and self-respect are more compelling in the dehumanizing prison environment.”

» Is treating prisoners with dignity as a radical notion?˃ PIC vs. ALA values˃ We are worthy of dignity, respect, concern, care,

compassion… to be seen as a genuine person.

Page 10: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Children of Incarcerated Patrons» Bill of Rights

˃ I have the right to speak with, see and touch my parent.˃ I have the right to support as I struggle with my parent’s

incarceration.˃ I have the right to a lifelong relationship with my parent.

» Special Collections˃ Children’s books (on incarceration)˃ Located within visiting areas

» Special Programs˃ Read-To-Me, Indiana˃ “My child watched the video several times over and over.

She was rubbing my face on the TV screen and hugged the TV.”

Page 11: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Call Lists & Photocopies» Librarians feel these two tasks take up a lot of time» Open Library vs. Call Lists (Permission Slips)

˃ Allow patrons movement within the institution to visit the library˃ Patrons request a visit & librarian responds with a time fitting both schedules˃ Allows librarian to have a manageable amount of patrons at one time

+ Reduce chaos, burnout for librarian and clerks+ Schedule an even number of law and leisure patrons

» Photocopies˃ Done by librarians˃ 2,000 per month vs. 8,000 when clerks were photocopying˃ Only place for patrons to make photocopies

+ Also only place to get papers notarized

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Collection Development» No Budget (IL)

˃ Librarians˃ Books˃ Supplies

+ Budge through Education

» Inmate Benefit Fund˃ From commissary˃ Magazines

+ Not National Inquirer, MAD Magazine

» Community Support˃ 3 R’s (Reading Reduces Recidivism)˃ Project READ˃ Books To Prisoners˃ Patron donations

+ Books to Prisoners, Family & Friends

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Cataloging» Microsoft Access

˃ Patrons do not have access to computerized database in most cases

» Card Catalog» Manual Circulation» Overdue notices sent via

institution mail

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On-line Legal Resources» Minnesota

˃ LexisNexis˃ Must request printing

+ 50 page limit per week˃ 2 hour limit per Law Library visit

» California˃ Premise database from Thomson West

+ Updated quarterly˃ Librarians have access to LexisNexis˃ 1 – 2 hour limit per Law Library visit dependent on demand˃ Printing is available only to patrons who do not have access to physical law books due to their

work schedule or lockdown+ Printouts have circulation period and must be returned+ Unless, print material does not have the case they are looking for

– One designated librarians retrieves information, prints case; can be kept by patron

» Nebraska˃ LexisNexis

+ Also have terminals in segregation units (satellite law libraries)+ 1 hour limit every day or every other day

˃ No printing

Page 15: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Programming» Poetry Group» Book Club» Banned Book Week» Displays for Monthly

Themes

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Censorship» Common bans

˃ How to break out of prison˃ Maps of surrounding area˃ Make your own tattoo˃ Make your own body armor˃ Drugs, liquor˃ Pornography with penetration or

fluids˃ Posters

˃ GLBTQ (geographically dependent)˃ Wiring (How-to manuals)˃ Tarot, Palm Reading, etc.˃ Gang Literature˃ Hard covers˃ Books directly from family & friends

+ Must be directly from publisher

» Publication Review Board˃ Reviews all challenged items˃ Up to 5 pages can be banned before whole item is banned˃ Challenges

+ English only staff+ Values of guards

˃ “I haven’t had the chance to read this month’s Playgirl yet.”

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Banned Books: Texas

» Texas Civil Rights Project ˃ http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org/?p=2803˃ “In violation of prisoners’ First Amendment rights, TDCJ prohibits the simple

pleasure of reading important books.”˃ “Though the Constitution allows TDCJ to censor books that could legitimately

threaten prison security, TDCJ is censoring even extremely innocuous material. This censorship violates long-established constitutional law.”

˃ Can view 11,850 banned books+ 2011 Human Rights Report+ Books patrons are allowed to read+ Depositions from lawsuits - Prison Legal News vs. TDCJ

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Banned Books Examples» 101 Best Family Card Games by Alfred Sheinwold

˃ Reason: Gambling˃ “NTIRE BOOK ADVOCATES VIOLATION OF DISCIPLINARY RULE 19.0 GAMBLING”

» 20th Century Art Book˃ Reason: Sexual Content˃ “PAGE: 126 PIC NUDE CHL”˃ Denied appeal

» 12 Million Black Voices by Richard Wright˃ Reason: Racial Content˃ “PAGE: 43, 45, 48, 87, 99 & 118 RCL”˃ Denied appeal

» 47th Street Black: A Novel by Bayo Ojikutu˃ Reason: Racial Content˃ “PAGES: 1-10 & 15 RCL”

» 2nd Chance by James Patterson˃ Reason: Racial Content˃ “PAGE: 203 RCL” / “PAGE: 206 RCL” ˃ Denied appeal

Page 21: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

Public & Academic Libraries – Partnership» Used books

˃ Some libraries weed at 20 years old & no circulation˃ Old supplies (cardboard magazine holders)

» Programming ˃ Video record to allow incarcerated patrons to watch˃ Be allowed to ask their Q & A

» Inter-Library Loan» Re-entry of patrons

˃ Library cards˃ Services & Programming

+ Computer 101˃ Stable relationship with society agency

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Prison Library Resources» ALA’s Prison Libraries

˃ http://www.ala.org/tools/prison-libraries

» ALA’s Prison Libraries Listserv˃ http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/prison-l

» ALA’s Prisoners’ Right to Read˃ http://www.ala.org/advocacy/prisoners-right-read

» ALA’s YALSA Lockdown Listerv˃ http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/yalsa-lockdown

» Colorado State Library’s Prison Libraries˃ http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/prisonlibraries/

» Exploring Prison Librarianship Blog’s Prison Library Resources˃ www.ExploringPrisonLibrarianship.wordpress.com

» Library Trends˃ Winter 2011, Vol. 59 No. 3, “Library and Information Services to Incarcerated Persons: Global Perspectives˃ Summer 1977, Vol. 26 No. 1, “Prison Libraries”

» Library Services for the Imprisoned Wiki˃ http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Services_for_the_Imprisoned

» Prisoners’ Rights Law Resources˃ http://libraryguides.law.pace.edu/content.php?pid=108934&sid=819627

Page 23: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

PIC Resources» Cornell University Library’s Angela Davis Resource Guide

˃ http://guides.library.cornell.edu/content.php?pid=374295&sid=3070014

» Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

» NIC: National Institute of Corrections’ Library˃ http://nicic.gov/

» Prison Culture: How the PIC Structures Our World (blog)˃ http://www.usprisonculture.com/blog/

» Prison Industrial Complex Chart˃ http://correctionsproject.com/prisonmaps/pic4.htm

» Prison Policy Initiative˃ http://www.prisonpolicy.org/˃ http://www.prisonersofthecensus.org/illinois.html

» Women + Prison: A Site For Resistance˃ http://womenandprison.org/

Page 24: UIUC ALA Prison Librarianship

WORKS CITED» Key Librarians

˃ Vogel, Brenda. The Prison Library Primer: A Program for the Twenty-First Century. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2009.˃ http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=preconferences&Template=/ContentManagement/

ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=30842˃ Rosenwald, Michael. “Maryland’s beloved prison librarian retires.” Washington Post 9 Sept. 2011.˃ http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/prison-library-weathering-another-deficit/2011/03/25/AFmL57YB_gallery.html#photo=2˃ Smallwood, Carol. Libraries as Community Partners: An Outreach Handbook. Amer Library Assn Editions, 2010.

» Censorship & Following Banned Book Slides˃ http://i.imgur.com/nHZCj.jpg˃ http://www.texascivilrightsproject.org/?p=2803˃ http://reports.zoho.com/ZDBDataSheetView.cc?

OBJID=218053000000015004&STANDALONE=true&privatelink=6ff8156ec3e31e2e2160733786c8d97b&ZDB_THEME_NAME=brown

» Children of Incarcerated Patrons˃ http://www.ala.org/alsc/compubs/booklists/childreninmates˃ http://www.fcnetwork.org/Bill%20of%20Rights/billofrights.pdf˃ http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Candles-First-Person-Series/dp/0876149409˃ http://library.sc.edu/zellatest/woodson/picture.html

» Patrons as People˃ http://www.ala.org/advocacy/prisoners-right-read˃ http://vufind.carli.illinois.edu/vf-uiu/Record/uiu_6174238

» Prison Industrial Complex Chart˃ http://correctionsproject.com/prisonmaps/pic4.htm

» Public & Academic Libraries – Partnership˃ http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/12/26/escape_route/

» Programming˃ http://beatwithin.org/

» Cataloging˃ http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Oct07/NoMoreCards.ws.html


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