ALA welcomes Prison Libraries Act

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-5), Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11) and Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4) propose grant program for library services to incarcerated people 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Library Association praised the Prison Libraries Act, introduced today by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO-5), along with co-leads Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), and Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4). The bill would establish a grant program within the Department of Justice to provide library services to incarcerated individuals to advance reintegration efforts, reduce recidivism and increase educational opportunities.  

“Prison libraries open doors of opportunity and provide essential literacy support to address the urgent information needs of millions of incarcerated people in the United States," said Sam Helmick, American Library Association President. "Funding from the Prison Libraries Act would expand educational services and provide incarcerated individuals with resources to build skills for employment and enable them to return to their communities better equipped for life after incarceration.”

The Prison Libraries Act would provide grants to prisons to update materials, hire qualified librarians and support digital literacy and career readiness training. The legislation would be authorized at $10 million per year through 2031, focusing on creating libraries in prisons without libraries and in prisons that otherwise would not have the means to scale library services. 

Investing in prison library programming would reduce the economic impact of recidivism by enabling incarcerated individuals to begin the process of reintegrating into the workforce. Research shows a strong correlation between participation in correctional education programs and greater success in rehabilitation and reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals. For more information on why further investments in prison libraries are essential to reducing the social and economic impact of incarceration, view ALA’s report, Investing in Prison Libraries: A Cost-Effective Path to Safer Communities and Second Chances.  

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About ALA: The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For nearly 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala.org.