Book behind bars

WHAT WE DO

Incarcerated people send us letters to request books. Requests can be general, such as asking for a genre, or very specific such as certain titles or authors. We have a library of donated books to pull from and we match each request the best we can. We then pack up the books and mail them out. 

WHY DO WE DO THIS?

We believe that reading is a basic human right. Most prisons do not have adequate prison libraries or educational programs. There are often excessive restrictions in place which prevent incarcerated people from obtaining reading materials. For example, they don't allow family and friends to send books into prisons - which means books must come from a bookstore, online retailer or a project like ours. Many families can't afford to buy books for their loved ones in prison, and many incarcerated folks have been in prison for so long that they don't have any contacts on the outside. This is why books-to-prisoner programs are vital. We promote literacy, reading, and education behind bars, and help break the cycle of recidivism.​        

Sending​ books to incarcerated people is an act of love. It's a way to provide direct aid and show solidarity with imprisoned communities.                                                                                                                                                                              

We shift some control back into the hands of incarcerated people. We provide access to knowledge of their choosing, so they can learn and grow as they desire.                                              

We believe that books are powerful. Activists and visionaries such as Nelson Mandela, Angela Davis, Eldridge Cleaver, Malcolm X, and Gandhi wrote about the solace they received from books in prison. With your help, we can make a positive impact in so many lives.​

DONATE BOOKS

Our project relies on your book donations - we wouldn't exist without them! We accept new and used paperback books. You can mail book donations to us at: XXX. You can also email us at: XXX to schedule a drop off.

(Please note: we cannot accept hardcover books - most prisons don't accept them and they are expensive to mail. Paperbacks only - thank you so much!) ​

Books We Currently Need Most:

• XXX

Books We Cannot Accept: 

• Hardcover books

• Books with writing, highlighting, underlining, or missing pages

• Heavily worn or stained books

• Old magazines 

• Books advocating any form of discrimination

• Computer books

You can also help by purchasing needed books from our Amazon Wishlist

REQUEST BOOKS

Incarcerated folks can write to us at the following address to request books:

XXX 

Please include your name, ID number, facility name, address, and the kind of books you want. Since all of our books are donated, we can't guarantee exact titles (though we do our best). You’ll have better luck if you also include subjects, genres or authors. The more areas of interest that you send us, the more likely it is that we’ll find good books that match what you’re looking for.​

​If you have a family member, friend, or loved one that would benefit from Books Behind Bars, please forward them our mailing address so they can send us a request for books.

Please note that we are currently only serving people incarcerated in XXX prisons.