I've been interested in library services to incarcerated populations for a while now, so this special topics paper seemed a great opportunity to learn about reader's advisory services to this underserved population. The first thing to note in this area is that there are very few resources on the topic: Pickett and Sullivan's Reader's Advisory Handbook has a very short chapter on the matter, and books on library services to the incarcerated only cover the topic obliquely in the course of investigating other matters. Nevertheless, the resources I did find helped me to gain a better understanding of limitations and special considerations in this area, summarized below:
1. Prisoners are protected by the ALA's Library Bill of Rights just as surely as any other library patron. However, prison administrators may restrict or censor the type or content of books (i.e. hardback books, books with any gang-related subject matter, etc) allowed into the prison library. Prison librarians have to understand these limitations as they provide reader's advisory, as these restrictions can result in small collections, or limited numbers of popular books.
2. Prisoners are often completely restricted from information resources those of us on the outside take for granted, such as the internet. To that end, reader's advisory for prisoners could realistically be expanded to the concept of "information advisory," as librarians might be called upon to recommend resources to prisoners seeking information about law and legal issues, reentry, or any number of leisure interests.
3. Many, though by no means all, people who are incarcerated are disadvantaged by extremely low literacy and information literacy. Librarians should be particularly conscious to dignify all patron interests with thoughtful responses, and meet patrons where they are at in terms of reading ability; an extensive knowledge of popular and classic fiction and non-fiction, as well as high-lo reading material (high interest, low difficulty) is essential.
4. Librarians are as likely as anyone else to fall prey to stereotypes about prisoners and what kind of books they may want or "need," but should take pains to avoid acting on these stereotypes. Reader's advisory to prisoners is not an opportunity to "reform" prisoners, but rather a chance to respond thoughtfully to prisoners' requests for reading material in which they are interested.
In case you are interested in reading more about this area, I've attached a truncated works cited list below:
Collis, Roy and Liz Boden. (1997). Guidelines for Prison Libraries.
Clark, Sheila, and Erica MacCreaigh. (2006). Library Services to the Incarcerated.
Guerra, Stephanie. (2010) "Reaching Out To At-Risk Teens: Building Literacy With Incarcerated Youth." PNLA Quarterly 75.1: 50-60.
Lehmann, V. (2011). Challenges and Accomplishments in U.S. Prison Libraries. Library Trends, 59 (3), 490-508.
Lilienthal, S. M. (2013). Prison and Public Libraries. Library Journal, 138(2), 26-32.
Pickett, Kate and CJ Sullivan. (2010). Readers’ Advisory Handbook.
Prisoners Right to Read. (2010, June 29). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/prisonersrightoread.
Vogel, B. (2009). The Prison Library Primer.
Wagner, P., & Rabuy, B. (2016, March 14). Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2016.html.
Hi Avery,
ReplyDeleteI really like your comment "high-lo reading material (high interest, low difficulty) is essential." Our jobs as reader advisors are not to judge what people read. Our job is to find the patrons materials they want to read. As Professor Cataldi stated "if someone says the only book they have ever loved is a sparkly vampire romance they are to be treated with respect".
Recently this male patron in his mid 20s came to my library. He asked for something to read. When I asked him what he likes his response was "I do not like to read". His statement threw me off a bit. So, I asked him a few follow up questions. He told me that his new girlfriend really likes to read and talks about books a lot. So, he wants to find some books to read to be able to talk with her about books.
Not judging his logic I explained that he would find more enjoyment if he reads something that interest him. After some conversation he told me that he likes fantasy video games with dragons. I found him some fantasy YA novels with dragons. The patron was very happy with the selection.
On a different note. At my previous job I worked at a college academic library. many years ago we used to do a lot of inter-library loans to prisons. The college has a large theology section and a majority of the books sent to prison libraries were on different subjects of theology.
However, the most popular single title sent to prison libraries was a book about how to hypnotize people. For a year this book went to several prison libraries until it was lost. This was a time when it was hard not to judge or make jokes about the reason for the book.
Hi Avery,
ReplyDeleteWhat a timely and fascinating topic to choose. I was just reading an article in a library related magazine about this very topic and the crucial need of its continuance. It’s interesting, quite sad, and a bit understandable about the possibility of prison staff restricting certain materials. It is almost as though a prison in on par with school libraries, at least in terms of censorship and banning of library materials. The stereotypical aspect of incarcerated individuals is also quite an interesting characteristic to consider about prison libraries and their librarians. I couldn’t help but think of the prison/school relationship again in terms of this stereotyping, as so much of each type of librarianship (well, all libraries, really) include not talking down or judging the patron, regardless of their reading habits, choices, and reading level.
Perhaps it is just me, however, this aspect of librarianship is quite interesting and one I’ve thought of in the past, and yet, I feel it often sort of exists in the periphery. Here in Connecticut I feel as though it is hardly ever referenced at all and I’ve never seen a job posting, either. It is crucial for a topic like this to remain active in everyone’s minds as there are so many special considerations in this area and it certainly gets one thinking. I greatly appreciate you providing the works cited list in your posting because this is a very interesting topic I do plan on exploring more and reading up on.
This sounds like a great paper! I never would have thought to write a paper over this topic. I would never have thought about how people stereotype incarcerated people and their reading choices. You should post your whole paper to your blog :) I would read it!
ReplyDeleteInteresting subject matter. I wonder if it would be possibly to even give the inmates a survey to see what types of books that would be interesting in seeing in the library? I wonder if the library can have volunteers from the population as well? Yes, they deserve to have the same rights as other patrons do on the outside. Thanks again.
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