Expanding Information Access for Incarcerated People Initiative

Providing library services to incarcerated individuals
Graphic of a mind outline filled with shelves of colorful books

Expanding Information Access for Incarcerated People, based at San Francisco Public Library, is a nationwide project that ensures librarians and information professionals have the resources they need to advocate for, develop, and increase library services for people who are incarcerated or in the process of reentry. The grant work involves identifying existing library services for incarcerated people and building professional networks and resources, with the goal of solidifying library services for people who are or have been incarcerated as a focused area of professional concern.

As part of the grant, the American Library Association (ALA) created and published the 2024 Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained. Ongoing work at ALA involves the distribution and implementation of the Standards, as well as the development of digital literacy programming for people who are formerly incarcerated.

This project is generously funded by the Mellon Foundation.

PROJECT OUTCOMES

1. New Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained

2. Interactive digital map of library services for incarcerated people

3. Publicly available professional development video series

4. White paper on digital literacy

Cover of 2024 Edition of Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained

2024 Edition: Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated or Detained

The new Standards heeds the current phenomenon of mass incarceration, the inequitable incarceration rates of BIPOC individuals, and the rising rates of incarceration of women (especially women of color). It pays special attention to the incarceration of LGBTQIA+ individuals, undocumented individuals, and youth, as well as to the information needs of returning individuals.

Download ebook zip file here.



Where are library services for incarcerated people located, and where are they needed?

(NOTE: 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.)

If your library provides library services to incarcerated people that aren’t represented on the map, let us know.

See the full map

Jody Redifer with a student during studio time at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center

Library Services and Incarceration Video Series

This series features information from formerly incarcerated people alongside professionals providing library services for incarcerated people. It covers a range of topics relevant to the field.

ALA provides free-of-charge professional development credit for viewing the videos in this series. ALA eLearning (ala.org user account required).

Graphic of a ladder ascending a stack of books in front of a blue sky

Library Services for the Justice Involved

Library Services for the Justice Involved (LSJI) is an interest group for library professionals, students, correctional staff, volunteers, or anyone who serves the underserved in correctional settings (prison, jail, detention centers, state mental health institutes, juvenile facilities) or justice-involved individuals (those in halfway houses, community corrections, sober living, transitional housing, on parole, or the formerly incarcerated).

Mellon