Services for the Imprisoned - Revision history

LibJane: /* Blogs/Websites to Watch */

2012-04-04T02:17:54Z

‎Blogs/Websites to Watch

Brenda vogel: /* Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out */

2009-09-06T23:34:37Z

‎Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out

Abosky: /* Blogs/Websites to Watch */ Spam link removed

2009-03-16T12:13:06Z

‎Blogs/Websites to Watch: Spam link removed

Janejoe: /* Blogs/Websites to Watch */

2009-03-13T10:31:00Z

‎Blogs/Websites to Watch

Abosky: /* Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out */

2008-12-08T16:04:23Z

‎Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out

Abosky: /* Advocacy */

2008-11-30T04:06:43Z

‎Advocacy

Abosky: /* Programming */

2008-11-30T03:58:38Z

‎Programming

Abosky: /* Censorship */

2008-11-30T03:56:09Z

‎Censorship

Abosky: /* Collection Development */

2008-11-30T03:54:42Z

‎Collection Development

Abosky: /* Preparing for a Career as a Prison Librarian */

2008-11-30T03:53:53Z

‎Preparing for a Career as a Prison Librarian

@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 *[http://blogs.secstate.wa.gov/ils/ Institutional Library Services blog]
 *[http://prisonlibrarian.blogspot.com/ Prison Librarian blog]
 *[http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/prison-l Prison Library listserv]

@@ Line 99: / Line 99: @@
 *'''Vogel, B. (1995). ''Down for the count: A prison library handbook.'' Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.'''<BR>
 A standard textbook for prison librarians.  Full of good advice for dealing with difficult people and situations.
 = Works Cited =

@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 *[http://prisonlibrarian.blogspot.com/ Prison Librarian blog]
 *[http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/prison-l Prison Library listserv]
 = Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out =

@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 *[http://prisonlibrarian.blogspot.com/ Prison Librarian blog]
 *[http://lists.ala.org/sympa/info/prison-l Prison Library listserv]
 = Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out =

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 = Specific Blog Posts/Articles/Books to Check Out =
-*'''Greenway, Sandra. (2007). Library services behind bars. ''Bookmobile and Outreach Services'', 10(2), 43-64.'''
+*'''Clark, S. & MacCreigh, E. (2006). ''Library services to the incarcerated: applying the public library model in correctional facility libraries.'' Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
 This article is full of great statistics and a huge list of references.  If you are writing a grant to provide prison services, this would be a good starting point.

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 Many members of the public feel that those who are in prison are there to be punished, not to be rehabilitated.  They may see library services as a privilege which prisoners do not deserve, rather than a valuable rehabilitative service.  Some may argue that the use of taxpayer dollars to fund prison libraries or prison outreach is a waste of money.  A review of professional literature and an examination of local statistics can show the public that housing prisoners is expensive and the rate of recidivism (released prisoners who return to jail) is high.  Even from a purely financial point of view, "education and rehabilitation of offenders prevents recidivism and saves taxpayers money in the long run" (Lehmann, 2003).
-It is important to be vocal in advocacy for prison libraries.  When it comes time to cut funding, the negative public attitude towards perceived "perks" make cutting funding easier for lawmakers.  When Arizona decide to close all its prison law libraries except for one, "the librarians were universally distressed but were not consulted" (Geary, 2003).  If librarians are vocal about their support and passion for prison library services, lawmakers are more likely to learn that budgets for these important services cannot be cut without a fight.
+It is important to be vocal in advocacy for prison libraries.  When it comes time to cut funding, the negative public attitude towards perceived "perks" make cutting funding easier for lawmakers.  When Arizona decided to close all its prison law libraries except for one, "the librarians were universally distressed but were not consulted" (Geary, 2003).  If librarians are vocal about their support and passion for prison library services, lawmakers are more likely to learn that budgets for these important services cannot be cut without a fight.
 There are many ways to advocate for library services to the incarcerated: contacting politicians and legislators, forming special interest groups on prison services, submitting grant proposals for library programs and services for those in prison, and more (Lehmann, 2003).

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 Public and prison librarians can do book talks for inmates, selecting books which may appeal to inmates, discussing them, then making them available for borrowing (Geary, 2003).
-Public libraries can be especially helpful to recently released inmates who may lack computer skills.  By law, internet access is denied or restricted to most inmates, so released prisoners may find themselves unqualified for jobs which require competent navigation of the internet.  Libraries can provide classes and training which teach basic internet skills (Dowling, 2007).
+Partnering with local literacy organizations may be very fruitful, as many prisoners lack basic literacy skills and need materials and tutoring to help them improve (Greenway, 2007).
 == Running a Prison Library ==

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 Prison librarians must deal with issues of censorship far more frequently than public librarians.  Free flow of information can be usurped by laws which restrict that right for prisoners (Geary, 2003).  Prison librarians may find themselves fighting for their patrons' rights to certain popular materials even though the public may deem them too violent or explicitly sexual for the prisoners.  Generally, these types of materials are prohibited: "materials that would aid in escape or criminal behavior; materials with instructions on making explosives, weapons, or alcohol; materials containing explicit or deviant sex; and materials promoting hatred or violence against certain groups" (Greenway, 2007).
-Sometimes it feels as if a librarian's beliefs--that "everyone has the right to information and the right to confidentiality"--is counter to other prison staff's beliefs concerning prisoners (Jahnke, 2006).
+Sometimes it feels as if a librarian's beliefs--that "everyone has the right to information and the right to confidentiality"--is counter to other prison staff's beliefs concerning prisoners (Jahnke, 2006).  Fighting the battle against censorship may be much more difficult for the prison librarian than it is for other librarians.
 == Programming ==

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 == Collection Development ==
 A prison library collection is very similar to a typical public library collection in many ways, and should contain a wide variety of popular and educational materials.  The following subjects and materials should receive special attention, however:
-Education, such as GED preparation (Reese, 2007)
+*Education, such as GED preparation (Reese, 2007)
-Spanish language materials
+*Spanish language materials
-Suicide
+*Suicide
-Drug addiction/revovery
+*Drug addiction/revovery
-Sexual abuse
+*Sexual abuse
-Parenting skills
+*Parenting skills
-Health information (in English and Spanish)
+*Health information (in English and Spanish)
-Materials for the elderly, especially regarding healthcare
+*Materials for the elderly, especially regarding healthcare
-Legal materials (Greenway, 2007).
+*Legal materials (Greenway, 2007).
 "Health information, information for non-English speakers, and parenting information are three of the most important emerging information needs within today's prisons" (Greenway, 2007).

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 Beyond the typical Masters in Library Science requirements for any librarian, it is helpful to focus on "outreach services, multicultural resources, legal collections, and materials for the learning disabled" (Lehmann, 2000).  Personal characteristics are just as important as academic qualifications.  A prison librarian must have "flexibility, patience, emotional stability, a high tolerance for stress, and a sense of humor" (Lehmann, 2000).  Inmates most appreciate librarians who demonstrate "straight-forwardness, firmness, fairness, and most of all consistency" (Greenway, 2007).
-Prison librarians may be required to undergo extensive training alongside regular prison staff and learn how to search inmates and cells, cuff inmates, and so on (Jahnke, 2006).  Though the thought of undergoing this training may be alarming, surveys from prison librarians generally reveal that safety is not a major concern.  Surrounded by guards and alarm systems, there is no need to worry.  Besides, "the library is one privilege no [inmate] wants to risk losing" by causing too many problems, one prison librarian pointed out (Geary, 2003).  Prison librarian Stephanie Thorson goes so far as to say "I feel safer in prison than I do walking down the streets sometimes" (Dixen, 2001).
+Prison librarians may be required to undergo extensive training alongside regular prison staff and learn how to search inmates and cells, cuff inmates, and so on (Jahnke, 2006).  Though the thought of undergoing this training may be alarming, surveys from prison librarians generally reveal that safety is not a major concern.  Surrounded by guards and alarm systems, there is no need to be over-anxious.  Besides, "the library is one privilege no [inmate] wants to risk losing" by causing too many problems, one prison librarian pointed out (Geary, 2003).  Prison librarian Stephanie Thorson goes so far as to say "I feel safer in prison than I do walking down the streets sometimes" (Dixen, 2001).
 == Advocacy ==