Correctional Librarian Resources
Professional Associations
American Library Association
- ASCLA - Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies
www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/ascla.cfm- Library Services to Special Populations Section
www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclasections/lssps/lssps.cfm - Library Services to Prisoners Forum
www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclaourassoc/asclasections/lssps/lspf/lspf.cfm
- Library Services to Special Populations Section
- OLOS – Office for Literacy and Outreach Services
www.ala.org/olos - Services to Incarcerated People and Ex-Offenders
www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/servicesincarc.cfm
Association for Rural & Small Libraries
Correctional libraries face many of the same issues as rural and small libraries: solo professional or paraprofessional; single library to serve patron base that is diverse in regard to education level, literacy, interest, age, ability, etc.; small budget; and in competition for funds with other agency units that provide public services
www.arsl.info
Your State Library Association may have a special, small or institutional library section
Correctional Education Association
www.ceanational.org
American Correctional Association
In addition to the national organization, chapters are active in about 25 states; call 800-222-5646, ext. 0129 to see if a chapter provides local professional activities in your state
www.aca.org
Correctional Librarianship on the Web: columns, articles, blogs
- ALA, ASCLA Interface, Prison Libraries articles
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/ascla/asclapubs/interface/interface.cfm - ALA, OLOS Services to Incarcerated People and Ex-Offenders
www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/servicesincarc.cfm - Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki, Services for the Imprisoned page
www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Services_for_the_Imprisoned - WebJunction, Correctional and Institutionalized page
www.webjunction.org/correctional-and-institutional - Prison Library Blog by Glennor Shirley
http://prisonlibrarian.blogspot.com - Washington State Library, Institutional Library Services weblog
http://blogs.sos.wa.gov/library/index.php - Colorado State Library, Institutional Library Development
www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/prisonlibraries/institutions.htm - INSIDE: Librarians Serving Those Serving Time blog
http://jailslibrarian.blogspot.com
Listservs and Forums
- prison-l@ala.org For information and to subscribe, go to lists.ala.org
- yalsa-lockdown@ala.org for information and to subscribe, go to lists.ala.org
- Correctional Education Association, Special Interest Group Forums (one of which is Libraries) www.ceanational.org/phorum/
Print resources
- The Prison Library Primer: A Program for the Twenty-First Century. Brenda Vogel. Scarecrow Press, 2009. ISBN 0810854031 / 978-0810854031
- Library Services to the Incarcerated: Applying the public library model in correctional facility libraries. Clark & MacCreaigh. Libraries Unlimited, 2006. ISBN 1591582903 / 978-1591582908
- Libraries Inside: A practical guide for prison librarians. Rubin & Suvak, eds. McFarland, 1995. ISBN 0786400617 / 978-0786400614
- Down for the Count: A prison library handbook, Brenda Vogel. Scarecrow Press, 1995. ISBN 0810829274 / 978-0810829275
- Guidelines for library services to prisoners, 3d ed. (pamphlet), Lehmann & Locke. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2005. ISBN 9077897070
- Library standards for adult correctional institutions (pamphlet), Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies. American Library Association, 1992. ISBN 0838975836
- Directrices para las bibliotecas de prisión de Cataluña (pamphlet), Col-legi Oficial de Bibliotecaris-Documentalistes de Catalunya, 2007, Col-legi Oficial de Bibliotecaris-Documentalistes de Catalunya, 2007. ISBN 9788486972257
Go to: Prison Libraries | Staff | Institutional Library Development