Virtual Volunteering: Prison Library Project
When Ginny Anderson retired from teaching Latin at Furman University, one of her many plans was to learn to use a computer. She took a few courses at a technical college near her home in South Carolina and was soon surfing the Internet. A passionate book-lover, she discovered the Books & Literature area of the SeniorNet website, and began leading online book discussions.
In October 2003, some volunteers from the Books & Literature group participated in the National Book Festival in Washington D.C., and Ginny and the others met Wally Lamb, author of Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters, a collection of stories by women in the York Correctional Institution in Connecticut. Through Lamb and his book she learned a lot about the lives of inmates. “Everybody in prison is not a monster,” she says, “They're people. Many of them have also been victims and, through the prison libraries, we want to help those prisoners who are trying to improve their lives so that when they return to society they will be able to lead productive lives.”
After meeting Wally Lamb, Ginny knew she wanted to help with the rehabilitation of prisoners. “I wanted to show them they're not forgotten,” she recalls.
Ginny was surprised to learn that most prisons have libraries, some of them state-of-the-art facilities, and they're desperate for books. She posted a request for book donations on the SeniorNet website, and her enthusiasm quickly attracted not only books but offers of help from other volunteers. The SeniorNet Prison Library Project was born!
"A good book in prison is sometimes as important as a letter from home, especially if you have few friends and family on the outside. I can not explain to you how much the women love finding good books and sharing them with each other. They devour books, so anything you send will be greatly appreciated." -- Librarian at York Correctional Institution
Then, in the spring of 2004, SeniorNet's representative to the Library of Congress brought the Prison Library Project to the attention of the PEN/Faulkner book award. The award director was particularly excited to hear that the prisons Ginny's group worked with accepted hardcover books (many prisons will only take paperbacks). She agreed to donate all 360 books submitted for award consideration that year.
“The project sent two hundred and twenty-five of the PEN/Faulkner books to the York Correctional Institution,” recalls Ginny. “Then we began looking for another prison to take the rest.” Ginny contacted the Superintendent of Education for the South Carolina prison system who was thrilled to have the books for the state's 19 prisons and 22,000 inmates.
Since the Prison Library Project has been collecting donated books for South Carolina and Connecticut prisons they've received over 5,000 books and over $200 in cash for postage, which allows them to reimburse people who have books to give but can't afford to mail them.
One of Ginny's favorite aspects of the project is that it's become a national collaborative effort. Other members of the administrative team are Nancy in Indiana (where the project has warehouse space), Jane in Iowa, Pat in Illinois and Joan in Washington D.C. “We coordinate the whole thing using technology,” says Ginny. “We rarely meet face-to-face. It's all done through email and on the SeniorNet message boards.”
Using Excel, a spreadsheet program, Ginny records where each book is sent, Jane keeps track of prison book wishlists and books donated and Pat tracks postage donations and expenditures. All three post their data on the SeniorNet message boards so that it's always visible to the public. “People can see their donation acknowledged,” says Ginny. “It's a way of saying ‘thank you.'”
Ginny believes this “careful and respectful” record keeping is a key to the success of the project. Another important piece is good communication. “Most of the communication among the volunteers is in writing,” she explains, “so we all try to be clear and ask questions when we're not sure of something.” Good communication with the prison librarians ensures that the project is collecting the books that are needed most.
The librarian said that usually when prisons get books they are old cast off and battered books and that these books being new and in their new jackets, say volumes to the women that THEY are not just cast offs, too. Apparently our donation has done a world of good.
With these key processes in place, Ginny expects the project to grow in years to come as more people pitch in. A church group offered to sort, pack and label boxes of donated books to ship to prisons, and several authors have donated books to the cause. “One volunteer worked it out so she can buy books at her local library sale for fifty cents before they're offered to the public,” says Ginny. “She takes our booklist and comes back with boxes of books.” On a smaller scale, anyone can contribute just one book (books must be in good condition) or a dollar or two for postage.
“The best thing about this is that anyone can help no matter where they are or their physical limitations,” says Ginny. “We need all the volunteers we can get.”
Interested in joining this project or organizing a similar project in your area? Ginny would be glad to help you get started. You can contact her at GinnyOr check out more information about the on-going project.
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