Libraries on the Inside: A Study of Public Library Outreach to Correctional Institutions

Abstract

In 1911, the American Library Association (ALA) formed its first committee on prison libraries. While this committee opened the door to important conversations on correctional libraries, the ALA did not actively become involved in correctional systems until 1944, when the Objectives and Standards for Libraries in Adult Prisons and Reformatories were approved (Austin, 2019). The real catalyst for creating nationwide libraries for the incarcerated came in 1971, when “Congress passed the Law Enforcement Administration Act, which funded prison law libraries and provided budgets for other reading materials” (Sullivan, 2000, p. 57). This led to what was coined the “golden age of prison libraries” in the 1970s. Since then, many studies and personal anecdotes have been published on librarians’ views of their role within a corrections facility. These vital conversations continue today as the ALA rewrites its guidelines for services to incarcerated individuals throughout 2023. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the websites of a sample of libraries across the U.S. to determine their relationships with local correctional facilities. This study will continue the work of a study published by the American Library Association in 1980 regarding services offered to correctional institutions across the country.