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News :: Prisons |
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County Jail Gets New Library |
Current rating: 0 |
by Chris Evans
Email: caevans2 (nospam) hotmail.com (verified) |
18 Sep 2005
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The Champaign County Jail now has a library!
There are two jail facilities in Champaign County. Although the downtown jail has a physical library space, it had, unbelievably, a dismal collection of Harlequin romances and about five other novels as its total inventory. That all changed last week Thursday, September 15th, when the UC-IMC Books to Prisoners program volunteers put more than 1000 books on the shelves. |
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The Champaign County Jail now has a library!
There are two jail facilities in Champaign County. Although the downtown jail has a physical library space, it had, unbelievably, a dismal collection of Harlequin romances and about five other novels as its total inventory. That all changed last week Thursday, September 15th, when the UC-IMC Books to Prisoners program volunteers put more than 1000 books on the shelves. Next Friday they will begin staffing the library on a six-times- per-month schedule.
Nancy Griffin, program director of the jail, said she had never seen so many books at the jail. Captain Young who oversees the jail thanked the volunteers for providing this service. The other jail facility, know as the Satellite Jail, which houses roughly ½ of the approximately 280 prisoners, has less physical accommodation for a library, but plans are to staff and work that jail with a cart system, once the downtown jail library system is working smoothly.
What is Books To Prisoners?
The primary work done by UCIMC Books to Prisoners is to directly answer Illinois Department of Corrections inmate’s requests for books. The program started about 1 ½ years ago when Bloomington Indiana, Midwest Pages to Prisoner Project passed on their Illinois requests. The program has grown solely through prisoner-to-prisoner word of mouth. The volunteers now ship books directly into the cells of an average of 13 prisoners each week.
How They Grew
They had very little inventory and very cramped quarters in the backroom of the IMC space at 218 West Main in Urbana until Feburary 2005, when they were able to move into a room donated by the Illinois Disciples Foundation. It was still too small, but better. In March ’05, they held their first books sale, which is the current means of financing the project. Their first books came from book drives conducted by IMC volunteers and by some honor societies at the University of Illinois. They cleared about $1300 which has kept them afloat for postage and packing supplies. When the UC-IMC bought the historic Urbana Post Office, they moved into a former postal sorting room, lined with shelves -- that seems custom designed for the Books to Prisoners program.
They haven’t had a book drive since then, but through some strategic articles in the UC-IMC’s newspaper “The Public i” and placement of a collection bin at the local health food stores, Strawberry Fields, and the Common Ground Food Coop; they have been amazed by the community support of donated books. Jay Schubert, volunteer, says, “We encourage donation of all books. We then sort those books that will go toward prisoner request fulfillment. We put everything else into our book-sale-inventory. We think we have about 6000 – 10,000 books ready for our sale on October 22.”
How You Can Get Involved …
…. as a volunteer at the Champaign County Jail
The library will be staffed every Friday from 1-4 PM and alternating Mondays from 6-9 PM. Each time the library is staffed they would like one lead volunteer and two supporting volunteers.
The primary responsibility of all volunteers will be to interact with inmates as they come in by cell block to choose books. No library experience is necessary to volunteer at the jail library.
Lead Volunteers will commit to being in the library for the full three hours that the library is open and will be responsible for communicating with other lead librarians about how to catalogue, organize and circulate books. It isn't necessary to be a professional librarian to serve as a lead volunteer. Several librarians and library school students, who have experience with these tasks, and will be able to provide guidance.
Supporting volunteers will commit to being in the library for a 1 1/2 to 2 hour shift (allowing time for overlap with the other supporting volunteer) and will do whatever tasks the lead volunteer deems necessary.
Requirements: Volunteers need to make a once a month (or more) commitment; be at least 21 years of age without any felony convictions. Contact Jay at jay.schubert (at) gmail.com in order to arrange a time to be approved.
…. in the prisoner request program
Volunteers work Thursday’s from 11:30AM until about 2PM and each Saturday from 3-5PM. Volunteers can sort books, read prisoners letters and pull books that match their requests, write a letter to the prisoner to send with the requests, or package the books for shipment. Email or just show up. If you have other time or ideas for volunteering contact coordinator Suzanne Linder bookstoprisoners (at) lists.chambana.net.
Save the Date: October 22, 2005
That is the date of the Books to Prisoners Community Book Sale to be held from 9-5 at Lincoln Square Mall, in Urbana Volunteers (and shoppers!) are needed on the day of the sale. Contact bookstoprisoners (at) lists.chambana.net. Meg Miner is the coordinator. |
This work is in the public domain. |
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More Pictures |
by Jay Schubert
jay.schubert (nospam) gmail.com (verified) |
Current rating: 0
19 Sep 2005
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Click on image for a larger version
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Thanks Chris! Here are some more pictures. They aren't great because they're just from my phone, but the show the progress being made as the shelves were loaded. |
See also:
http://www.books2prisoners.org
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Re: County Jail Gets New Library |
by anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
09 Jul 2006
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I applaud this group for it's work. This is truly a worthwhile venture. |
