Expanding Information Access for Incarcerated People is based in SFPL’s Jail and Reentry Services program. In coordination with the American Library Association (ALA), this project identifies existing library services for incarcerated people, supports professionals in the field in building out or creating new services, solidifies library services to incarcerated people as a focused area of concern within librarianship, develops digital literacy programming for people who are formerly incarcerated, and provides guidance for librarians working in juvenile detention centers, jails, and prisons nationwide.
CONVENINGS
SFPL’s Jail and Reentry Services staff have held three invitation-only convenings of librarians to strengthen professional networks and provide best practices in June of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Each convening brought together formerly incarcerated people, librarians, and information professionals in conversation about the importance of providing library services to people who are incarcerated and to share best practices. Please subscribe to our newsletter if you are interested in information about future convenings.
The convenings build from an initial collaboration with the Colorado State Library’s Library Research Service and Chelsea Jordan-Makely to identify where library services were being provided in juvenile detention centers, jails, and prisons and how to better support these services. These findings were published in the Library Journal article “Growing services: Libraries creating services for incarcerated people.”
THE MAP
Jail and Reentry Services staff are building and refining an online, interactive map that shows where and what types of services are available to incarcerated people. The map contextualizes library services within statistics about incarceration and includes other information resources that are available to incarcerated people. The goal of this map is to help librarians find one another and identify models that fit their library systems and locations. It is also a tool that advocates, families, and friends of incarcerated people can utilize to find free books and information services for their loved ones inside.
TRAINING SERIES
Jail and Reentry Services staff have drawn on their professional networks to create a virtual training series for librarians, library staff, and information providers who provide library services to people negatively impacted by incarceration. Each video is opened by a formerly incarcerated person speaking on the role of books and libraries in their life. The 10-video training series is available on the Jail and Reentry Services YouTube playlist (titles begin with "Training"). Videos are captioned in English and Spanish and full transcripts are linked to each video.
Additionally, librarians and information workers can receive a free certificate for viewing each training through ALA's learning platform.
STANDARDS
Under the leadership of Tracie D. Hall, the American Library Association coordinated experts from across the country to revise the Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated and Detained. The new version of the Standards was approved by the ALA Council at the Annual Conference in June 2023 and launched at the ALA Annual Conference in June 2024. More information about the new version of the Standards.
ALA will distribute the Standards to librarians working in prison libraries across the country beginning in fall of 2024. To request a copy, please email ALAStandards@gmail.com.
REENTRY
ALA Digital Literacy Fellow Estelle Yim is researching and prototyping how libraries can support people who are formerly incarcerated to develop their digital literacy skills. As part of the grant work, Estelle will publish a white paper on best practices for supporting the digital literacy development of people who are formerly incarcerated.
ONGOING RESEARCH
Jail and Reentry Services staff are conducting ongoing research related to library services for incarcerated people. This research includes reviewing academic and popular publications, locating information about existing services on library websites, and reading policy documents created by carceral facilities. Jail and Reentry Services staff have produced two white papers related to library services for people who are incarcerated. One is on “Trends and concerns in library services for incarcerated people and people in the process of reentry” and the other is on “Technology in carceral facilities.”
Training Series Videos
All video transcripts are available to download and print here.
Mapping Library Services
If your library provides library services to incarcerated people that aren’t represented on the map, please let us know!
This map may not load in Firefox. Please click through to the larger map or use another browser if you are experiencing issues viewing the map.
Inside Knowledge Art Exhibition
Inside Knowledge was special exhibition of works exploring perspectives on information access, all created by artists who are incarcerated. The exhibition launched on 6/27/24 at SFPL’s 3rd Convening of Librarians & Information Workers Who Work with Incarcerated People & People in the Process of Reentry, then moved to the San Diego Convention Center for ALA’s Annual Conference & Exhibition. More about the exhibit, including images of the artwork, is available here.
Meet the Jail & Reentry Services Team
“Libraries are a vital community resource perfectly positioned to engage our patrons during and after incarceration."
“I believe that libraries have the opportunity to provide information, books, and resources to our incarcerated patrons. We can collaborate with one another to build this needed resource."
“I believe that library services to people who are incarcerated is an impactful way to deliver on public librarianship’s core value of access.”
“Libraries are great because knowledge is power, and libraries offer free power to everyone!”
“I believe in the power of collaboration and look forward to supporting this project’s partners to advance our shared goals of expanding information access for incarcerated people.”
"Libraries are generative spaces for knowledge production and sharing; I believe that knowledge becomes power when the people can reach it!"
Advisory Committee
Jail and Reentry Services staff are especially grateful for our advisory committee, which helps to guide our grant-related work. This committee consists of individuals who have been incarcerated or have incarcerated and previously incarcerated loved ones, groups that consist of currently and formerly incarcerated members, and experts on the types of information that people who are incarcerated most need and desire. The Advisory Committee members are:
- Michelle Dillon, representing Books to Prisoners
- Gail Yen, representing Root & Rebound
- Lee Gibson, representing Initiate Justice
- Rebecca Hernandez, PhD, Community Archivist, UC Santa Cruz University Library
- Wendy Jason
- Jodi Lincoln, representing Pittsburgh Prison Book Project
- Zy'aire Nassirah, representing TGIJP
- Marilyn Perez, representing Young Women’s Freedom Center
- Richard Gaines, representing Returning Citizens Association
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