American Library Association Applauds Congressional Efforts to Expand Library Access for Incarcerated Individuals

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Library Association (ALA) welcomes the introduction of bicameral legislation aimed at expanding access to library services and educational opportunities for people who are incarcerated, recognizing the vital role that libraries play in rehabilitation, literacy and successful reentry. 

On April 17, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D‑CA) introduced two bills in the Senate—the Prison Libraries Act and the Rehabilitation Through Reading Act—to improve educational and informational access within correctional facilities. These efforts build on leadership in the House, including from Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D‑MO), who reintroduced the House version of the Prison Libraries Act earlier this year and is sponsoring the House companion to the Rehabilitation Through Reading Act. 

ALA President Sam Helmick said, “Libraries provide access to knowledge, opportunity, and hope. The more people have access to library resources, the more opportunity they have to build better futures. The Prison Libraries Act affirms that incarcerated people deserve meaningful access to information and learning resources that support rehabilitation and successful reentry. This legislation reflects the values at the heart of librarianship: literacy, learning and the public good. 

“The introduction of these measures underscores growing recognition in Congress that the resources libraries provide are essential for people in the carceral system.” 

ALA has long advocated for the inclusion of these libraries in broader conversations about information access and has endorsed the Prison Libraries Act from its inception in 2023. The bill would make critical federal investments to strengthen library services in state and U.S. territory prisons. By supporting professionally staffed prison libraries, current and diverse collections, and essential educational programming, the legislation recognizes that access to information is a cornerstone of literacy, workforce readiness, and lifelong learning. Research consistently shows that access to educational resources during incarceration reduces recidivism and strengthens public safety, outcomes that benefit individuals, families, and communities alike.

For more information on the importance of investing in prison libraries, check out ALA’s report, Investing in Prison Libraries: A Cost-Effective Path to Safer Communities and Second Chances.

ALA also supports the goals of the Rehabilitation Through Reading Act, which seek to expand access to reading materials for incarcerated people within Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities by creating an independent commission to review BOP decisions regarding book bans, enabling incarcerated people to challenge book bans, and ensuring that books are not censored to eliminate disfavored viewpoints or content in BOP libraries. Establishing objective, transparent frameworks to address challenges to library materials ensures that decisions about what materials are available in BOP libraries align with selection principles that do not reflect personal bias. It also helps to ensure that BOP library collections affirm incarcerated people’s intellectual freedom. 

About the American Library Association   
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 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.