By Susan Mark, statistics librarian, Wyoming State Library
This article originally appeared in the July 2010 issue of The Rapsheet, the newsletter of Wyoming’s Department of Corrections.
At the Wyoming Women’s Center, new inmates rediscover reading on the intake unit, thanks to the library book carts. At the Medium Correctional Institution, staff hold adult storytimes, and inmates clamor to hear each new chapter – many of them have never had someone read to them. At the minimum security facilities, inmates donate small bits of money from limited funds to help purchase movies and newer fiction. At the Penitentiary, book carts rolled out to the units quickly develop big gaps as the men grab their latest round of reading.
Prison library shelves offer materials for self-help, career guidance, vocational skills, parenting, self-education, health and pre-release, as well as recreational reading in all genres. Books provide educational and intellectual stimulation, as well as enjoyment, entertainment, relaxation, and contentment in a prison setting. The libraries also encourage pro-social behavior and connection to others. At all five facilities, there are many avid readers and a huge demand for reading material.
“For many inmates, books are their primary life changer while incarcerated,” said Dan Gettinger, WHCC Education Manager. “There is great appreciation from the inmate population for the selection that we provide.”
In recent years, the Wyoming State Library has provided an annual $2,000 grant from Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds to each prison to supplement limited materials budgets. The libraries also get donations from many sources including service clubs, schools, colleges, facility staff and local public libraries.
The grant goes to each institution’s particular collection needs, with few restrictions. The Penitentiary used LSTA grant money for bulk used recreational reading paperbacks. The Conservation Camp bought work-related materials for successful re-entry. One WHCC inmate wrote to the State Library, “These books are our only resource to stay up on the changes in our field of trade over the years of our incarcerations.”
Needs are varied. High-interest, low-literacy materials are helpful for those working toward their GED. Reference, career, medical and computer materials become dated quickly. Mysteries, thrillers and popular authors are in demand. Fantasy is big, offering an escape from everyday life. Partial series leave readers wanting the other volumes. Some patrons want more in-depth books. Demand for Spanish-language is still slight, but expected to grow.
The libraries are primarily staffed and run by inmates. For a while, the Women’s Center did not have an actual library, only book carts. Some of the women at the facility pushed to re-establish a library where they now organize the materials and make lists of what’s available to send out to each unit.
In addition to the grant, the State Library offers resources and training. At recent site visits, inmates shared their challenges in finding out what’s new and upcoming in books when their contact with the outside world is limited. They showed how they monitor what’s popular and what’s needed. They take pride in their libraries and seek ways to make them better.
Prison libraries provide a valuable window to the world for Wyoming’s incarcerated. “[The library’s] use as a source for books to be enjoyed and for relaxation cannot be overstated,” writes one inmate at the Honor Conservation Camp. “It is an educational and intellectual asset that is much utilized and appreciated by the patrons of the library. “