Help for Inmates
Building a Better Future... Through a Stronger Foundation
Help break the cycle of recidivism
APPALACHIAN PRISON BOOK PROJECT,
P.O. Box 601, Morgantown, WV 26507
Sends free books to: KY, MD, OH, TN, VA,
and WV only.
ASHEVILLE PRISON BOOK PROGRAM
67 N. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Sends free books to: NC, SC TN, and GA.
Supplies a NC Prisoner Resource List upon
request.
BOOK’M
P.O. Box 71357, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Sends free books to PA prisoners only.
Focuses on educational and non-fiction books
and magazines. No legal material provided.
DC BOOKS TO PRISONERS
P.O. Box 34190, Washington, DC 20043
Sends free books to: All US states except
New England, IL NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, WA
and WI. Free, but stamps and donations for
postage are appreciated where possible.
Request reading material by prioritized subjects and please list prison restriction if known. Please wait 5 months between requests.
INSIDE BOOKS PROJECT,
c/o Street Books,
827 W. 12th St, Austin TX 78701
Sends free books and education material
to inmates in Texas. One request Every
three months. Inside Books Project also
publishes a Resource Guide offered for
free to inmates nationwide
INTERNATIONALIST PRISON BOOK COLLECTIVE
405 W. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Sends free books to: AL and NC only. Also
publishes extensive radical zine catalog.
LOUISIANA BOOKS 2 PRISONERS
1631 Elysian Fields Ave. #117, New Orleans, LA 70117
Sends free books to prisoners in the following states:
AL, AR, LA, and MS. Women and LA prisoners
are prioritized.
PRISON BOOK PROGRAM
Email: info@prisonbookprogram
1306 Hancock St, STE 100,
Quincy, MA 02169
Please tell your family and friends
that this resource list is also available
online
LGBT BOOKS TO PRISONERS
c/o Rainbow Bookstore
426 W. Gilman St, Madison, WI 53703
Sends free books to LGBTQ-identified
prisoners in every state but TX.
MIDWEST PAGES TO PRISONERS PRJECT,
c/o Boxcar Books & Community Center
408 E. 6th St, Bloomington, IN 47408
Sends free books to prisoners in the following
stares: AR, IA, IN, KY, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE,
OH, OK, SD, TN, and WI only.
NYC BOOKS THROUGH BARS
c/o Bluestocking Bookstore,
172 Allen st, New York, NY 10002
BooksThroughBars.org
Free. We fill requests from all states
except: AL. FL, LA, MA, MI, MS, NC, PA,
OH, and WI, With priority for NY.
Specializes in political and history books.
Also Has literary fiction and other
educational books. No religion books.
OPEN BOOKS PRISON BOOKS PROJECT
1040 N. Guillemard St., Pensacola, FL 32501
Sends free books to: FL only.
PRISON LIBRARY PROJECT
915C W. Foothill Blvd, PMB128, Claremont, CA 91711
Free books: dictionaries and basic reference,
personal and spiritual growth, general fiction
and non-fiction
PRISON LITERATURE PROJECT
c/o Bound Together Books
1369 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Sends free books to all states, except OR
and TX. Request free books by subject only.
READ BETWEEN THE BARS
c/o Daily Planet Publishing
P.O. Box 1589, Tucson, AZ 85702
Sends free books to AZ only.
WISCONSIN BOOKS TO PRISONERS
c/o Rainbow Bookstore
426 W. Gilman St, Madison, WI 53703
Sends free books to WI
Free Book Programs....
It is easy to get caught up in today's world of technology and the vast amount of information that is available on the Internet. Many of us may take for granted the fact that almost anything you want to know is available at your fingertips on a computer, tablet or phone capable of of getting online. None of these options are available to inmates... NONE! Inmates must rely on the availability of written literature in order to research or learn about anything. Even casual or recreational reading is dependant on good old fashioned books and other printed materials.
The need for books and other printed materials in the prisons should never be underestimated. The appropriate source of books can help inmates keep their minds on positive things and help keep them from getting involved with negative elements within the prisons. Committed inmates can pass their time constructively by getting personal self help books, educational materials, vocational training courses, as well as legal self help books to help themselves with their legal concerns. Many inmates have obtained their GED as well as other degrees while in prison. Some have even learned the law and filed their own motions and cases with positive outcomes. So, yeah... books can be an important part in the inmate's rehabilitation and re-entry into their family lives, thereby helping lower the rate of recidivism.
The following programs send free books to prisoners in various states. Before you write, check the states that each program serves. These programs struggle to keep up with demand, so you may have to wait to receive a response.
(Free book programs for inmates are still being added and updated. Please check back regularly.)
The following is a link to the Prison Book Program (listed above). They have a list of other book programs which may have additional contacts:
http://www.prisonbookprogram.org/resources/other-books-to-prisoners-programs/
The following link is to a Columbia University site that posts "A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual, Ninth Edition". You can click on the chapters to bring up pdf files that can be read, printed or saved. This may be helpful to inmates that need to research legal topics. Note that it appears to be a 2011 version so some information (rules, procedures, laws, etc) may need to be update.
FREE BOOKS:
The following is a list we came across after the above listings. There may be duplicate listings as we have not had the time to compare them yet. We will be updating as we go but wanted to add the additional information right away.
The Sun Magazine
For subscriptions, write to:
The Sun Subscription Department
P.O. Box 5837
Harlan IA 51593-1337
(888) 732-6736
Send submissions to:
The Sun
107 North Roberson Street
Chapel Hill NC 27516
(919) 942-5282
Independent, ad-free monthly magazine that publishes personal essays, short stories, interviews, poetry, and photographs by emerging and established artists. Free subscription offered to prisoners. Also accepts submissions.
DC BOOKS TO PRISONS PROJECT
PO Box 34190
Washington DC 20043-4190
Please limit requests to once per 5 months. Can request titles, but prioritized subjects of interest preferred. List prison restrictions. Stamps appreciated. Lacks postage money to respond to all requests and puts lower priority on the following: New England, OR, WA, PA, OH, NY, NJ, WI, and IL.
LOUISIANA BOOKS 2 PRISONERS
1631 Elysian Fields Ave. #117
New Orleans LA 70117
Sends free books prisoners in the following states: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, TN, SC, VA, WV. Women and LA prisoners are prioritized. Does not send books to Texas inmates.
MAOIST INTERNATIONALIST MINISTRY OF PRISONS
PO Box 40799
San Francisco CA 94140
Free books on Marxism, politics, history, law, dictionaries and other reference. Free anti-imperialist newsletter and political study groups for prisoners.
Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project
c/o Boxcar Books and Community Center
408 E. 6th St.
Bloomington IN 47408
Sends free reading material to inmates in AZ, AR, FL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, OK, SD, TN, and WI. Does not send books to Texas inmates.
PRISON BOOK PROGRAM
1306 Hancock St. Suite 100
Quincy MA 02169
Sends free reading material to inmates in all states except CA, MI, MD, NV, and TX. Does not send books to Texas inmates. Publishes the “National Prisoner Resource List” free to prisoners in any state nationwide.
THE PRISON LIBRARY PROJECT
915-C West Foothill BLVD PMB 128
Claremont CA 91711
Free reading and educational material to inmates nationwide except HI, ME, MI, NE, NV, WI, PA, and VA.
Prison Mindfulness Institute
11 South Angell St. #303
Providence RI 02906
(401) 941-0791
Sends free books on mindfulness practices, Buddhism, and other contemplative paths. Offers an online Directory of Prison Dharma Organizations, useful for prisoners seeking mentors, pen-pals, and other resources:
prisonmindfulness.org/projects/network-directory/
Prisoner Express
127 Anabel Taylor Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca NY 14853
Free books to prisoners nationwide. Must send 8 stamps or $3.50 for postage. Specify subjects of interest.
Prisoners Literature Project
c/o Bound Together Books
1369 Haight St
San Francisco CA 94117
www.prisonersliteratureproject.com
Sends free reading material to inmates nationwide.
Providence Books Through Bars
c/o Paper Nautilus Books
5 Angell Street
Providence RI 02906
Sends free reading material to inmates nationwide including targeted self-help and inspirational books upon request.