2015 ALA Annual Program

Libraries Behind Bars: Education and Outreach to Prisoners

cosponsored by ANSS, LES, and LPSS

Headed to San Francisco for the 2015 ALA Annual Conference? You are invited to join us for our conference program, “Libraries Behind Bars: Education and Outreach to Prisoners” cosponsored by ANSS, LES, and LPSS. The United States incarcerates more citizens than any other country, which presents a pressing issue for civil society. This program brings together a multidisciplinary panel of scholars, moderated by a prison librarian, to raise awareness of the importance of prisoner education in reducing recidivism and improving rehabilitation outcomes. It highlights the role academic libraries play in research on the incarcerated and incarceration institutions, as well as in outreach to incarcerated populations.

Why attend?

• Hear from our featured speakers, Leah Jacobs (social welfare, UC-Berkeley), Dr. Amy Lerman (political science, UC-Berkley), and Dr. Tobi Jacobi (English, Colorado State University) about their research on prison education and their work with incarcerated students.  View Speaker Bios.
• Learn about challenges for scholars who research incarcerated populations and prison education in order to support efforts for data-driven advocacy, policy development, and activism.
• Learn about models of prison education programs in order to promote and create awareness of library resources in prisons.
• Learn to identify the characteristics of effective art, literature, and creative writing programs in prisons in order to develop and improve partnerships between academic libraries and prison education programs.

A bibliography has been created by the members of the ANSS, LES, and LPSS program planning committee highlighting books and articles on the issue of education and outreach to incarcerated populations. Read it online or download the PDF.