Prison Book Program

Prison Book Program is an American non-profit organization that sends free books to people in prison.^[1][2] While the organization is based in Massachusetts, it mails packages of books to people in prisons in 45 U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico and Guam.^[3] The program receives letters from people in prison asking for specific titles or genres, which volunteers use to put together a package of books chosen from a small library of donated books.^[4] The organization is run out of the basement of the United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts.^[5] Kelly Brotzman, a former professor with a PhD in social ethics from the University of Chicago, currently serves as Executive Director.^{[3][6][7][8][9]} The organization tracks restrictions that prisons place on books, and advocates for greater access to books in prison.^{[10][11][12][13]} Prison Book Program partners with local bookstores, libraries, universities, and more to collect donated books and spread awareness of book access within prisons.^[14]

History

Prison Book Program was started in 1972 by volunteers working out of the Red Book Store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a leftist bookstore.^[1] From 1982-2000, the program was housed in the basement of the Red Sun Press, a print shop in Jamaica Plain.^[1] In 2000, volunteers moved to a space in downtown Boston before settling in PBP's current headquarters in the basement of the United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts in 2004.^[1]

Publications

Prison Book Program published "We the People Legal Primer" in 2004 and "Insider's Guide to Jailhouse Law" in 2024.^[15]

See also

• Books to Prisoners