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

This book is a practical guide to understanding how to operate a prison library in contemporary society. It equips the librarian and library advocate with the necessary background, practical library science tools, and the proper solutions to develop, grow, and maintain an effective, user-centered library program.

In this century the central and quintessential correctional facility program ought to be the library. While the U.S. prison industry has embraced a massive reentry movement emphasizing literacy and job readiness for former felons, prison libraries have been ignored as potential sources for reintegration. In The Prison Library Primer: A Program for the Twenty-First Century, Brenda Vogel addresses the unique challenges facing the prison librarian.This practical guide to operating and promoting a correctional library focuses on the basic priorities: collection development; location, space planning, and furnishing suggestions; information on court decisions and legislation affecting prisoners'' rights. This volume also includes an information-skills training curriculum, sample administration policies, essential digital and print sources, and community support resources. Equipped with practical library science tools and creative solutions, The Prison Library Primer is an invaluable resource that will help the librarian and library advocate develop, grow, and maintain an effective, user-centered library program.