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Must read Terms of Service & Privacy Policy and be at least 18

 
Webmaster

This is a big concern and we've already had some moderate success. I noticed that this is an issue rarely addressed on the forum but we do have a lot of people helping and I’m hoping to find more.

Prison librarians, human rights groups and even chaplains have been using our books behind bars program ( https://writeaprisoner.com/books-behind-bars/ ) to help turn out books and supplies for classes and libraries behind prison walls. The good folks at Oprah's magazine even plugged this service recently which brought in a whole lot more inquiries.

We sometimes get emails from school districts and colleges offering up a great many books that don’t meet the criteria currently listed on WriteAPrisoner.com. Rather than let these great offers slip through the cracks while building our book requests list, I thought we could use this section of the site to help index those offers and bring awareness to this endeavor.


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LynettesBargainBooks

Hi everyone, I've been reading posts about sending books to inmates and there are a lot of variances on who's hot and who's not when it comes to bookstores.

I am a bookstore that ships books to inmates across the US.

We only sell used books and before we even attempt to ship a book out, we confirm with the prison their rules regarding shipments to cut down heartache and the headache of having a book returned.

If you'd like you can look over our website and decide for yourself.

http://www.lynettesbargainbooks.com/

Thank You.

 
theotherlondon

I think that inmates should be able to read
any books behind bars.

 
Webmaster

Just giving this a bump incase anyone is sitting on any old books that the prisons could use. Thanks for all of your support with this program these past few years! Like all things on this site, we intend to grow the Books Behind Bars section even more.

Thank you!

 
Webmaster

Hi,

Please note that all of the information we have on sending books into prison is maintained in our Books Behind Bars section: WriteAPrisoner.com - Books Behind Bars It is best to contact them directly. Rules are going to vary greatly from prison to prison and program to program. This is why we provide the public with all of the information that we have. Thank you for donating! Good luck in finding a home for them!

 
ASE

This isthe organzation .
* prison book project *

They send books as often as they can to NH, MA , ME, VT, CT, and TX

They are always looking for books Email them first to be sure I m am sure the books would be n more than welcome .

There are a lot of prisnrs in TX particularly who do not get books but would like to . TDCJ has often confusing policies on what you can send and can change from unit to unit This organization is aware of that and sends what is allowable

My friends have received books from them it just takes about a month or two :)

 
saphira

(Moderator Edited)

ASE,

Great news but which organization have your friends asked for books from? Please be specific, I have close to new paperbacks that range from History to Fantasy, Biography to Algebra and I'd like to donate.

Please post a specific website or address as you have the creds to do it.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Saphira

 
ASE

Hi Adam,

I am still confused.

Can I send my books to a center that will actually get them into prisons?

Where do I do that?

Are the sites that are coherent on how to do that?

Most of the sites that I have googled have been really less than enthusiastic about donations.

Is everyone on the same page?

If so as requested above a specific recommendation would be appreciated.

Yes you can

The reason they appear to be less than enthusiastic about donations is lack of man power to make sure the books are in condition to send to prisons . They usually have to be in good condition with both front and back cover paperbacks . There should be little to no writing or drawing on the books . Keep in mind Banned book lists change frequently in most DOCs and the BOP . That in itself make things a little confusing at times . .

Some are willing to ship books that are acceptable at the prison for you as long as you pay shipping costs . You probably will have to ask that organization .

Each Prison never mind prison system has differnt books it will and will not accept depending on the custody levels .
For example TDCJ has now banned a lot of James Patterson books stating they describe Terrorism and sexual crimes :confused: . Yet they can get m Newsweek and time For example?:confused:
This leads to a lot of time making sure the right type of books go to the right prisons so it takes time you can always volunteer time to help . Usually you cannot be involved in law enforcement or employed by a DOC or BOP

It might take a while but they get do books to offenders . All of my friends have asked a organization for books and received them in about a month or two .

 
saphira

Hi Adam,

I am still confused.

Can I send my books to a center that will actually get them into prisons?

Where do I do that?

Are the sites that are coherent on how to do that?

Most of the sites that I have googled have been really less than enthusiastic about donations.

Is everyone on the same page?

If so as requested above a specific recommendation would be appreciated.

 
atmosphere916

gemma2656! Thanks for the reply!! You rock the house!! I appreciate it.

 
gemma2656

HI, it depends on the prison as to how long before they give it or if they give it to your prison. The warden at one of my prisons said for me to expect a week delay if it is something they feel might be too violent but he said if they feel it is ok, they will take maybe a day at most. So far I have only sent one book and he got it the same day so they must have felt it was not bad. As for how many is too many you would need to ask either your pen-pal or contact someone there and find out the rules on that. Each prison is a little different on those rules. (and in most cases I mean just a little :) )

 
atmosphere916

I'm having a difficult time figuring out how to post a thread. I apologize, I'm cyber-challenged. I have enjoyed everything I've been reading and although it may have been discussed in a previous thread, a question persists. I ordered and had sent 3 books to a prison pal in [I]Snake River[/I]. The books were direct from [I]Amazon [/I]and through the tracking option, I've seen they've been delivered and signed for (at 11 am this morning to be exact). I'm wondering when (approximately) my prison pal will receive his books and if in fact he will. I read in some of the posted threads that a prisoner should be expecting a book (He has no idea), was 3 too many (I tend to be hasty), etc. Any thoughts?

 
gemma2656

Well others were right. The warden said I had to order from someplace like Amazon and send it. So I did. My PP got the book on Dec18th. (his b-day is Dec 29th so I thought it would be nice to start the reading together). He sent me a letter saying he got it about 9 am and then got a letter from me about 2 hrs later at mail call. He said he was already 2 chapters into the book. He is a fast reader I can see lol. But he loved the book and said he liked the idea of us reading books together. Said to made him feel like he was doing something with me. I am soo happy that it made him happy.

 
gemma2656

I was wondering how to send books. Me and my one inmate both like the same kind of books. So I had thoughts of buying 2 copies of the book and sending him one copy so we could read them at the same time. I asked him and he was not sure, so I decided to write the warden of the prison he is in. So now I am waiting on a response from him. I am hoping I am allowed to do this. I will let you guys know what he says and it might help with other prisons.

 
whiterose

i have a pp in PA i sended him a dictionary in english/dutch from over holland and he get it.
realy i never thought that would happen but i would give it a try .

 
BudMan247

When I had a penpal in KY I sent her this good sized book on Shakespeare. I bought it at Barnes And Noble and had it shipped to KCIW. I had no problems getting it. I have a ton of Wicca books that I don't use anymore. I would like to donate them to some of the prisoners either in my state or other states. If there is anyone that would like to distribute them to inmates or knows how to. Let me know and I will send them to you.

 
template1231

I use directtaccess.com for my book orders. They know the ins and outs of all the prisons. You can just call them up and talk with them. My pal has always recieved any book/magazine/newspaper I send to him. Hope this helps.

 
Webmaster

Amazon is a good one with very little problems. There are many more. Books Behind Bars is really about helping prison educators get materials rather than the inmates. Just FYI :)

 
gumby

I use this guy:336 314 7842

Silverhammer Publishing
2618 Battleground Ave. Ste. 301
Greensboro, NC 27408

He even sent it under by pen name as I don't use my real name to write. The books went to a prison in TX and were accepted....and his prices are really great!

Also, there is no website, but Max, Madmax, who put me in touch with this option, said that you can call and get a catalog.

quick service:D

 
Howard

[B][/B]

Would any book Company work?

 
40carats

When ordering books from amazon.com to be sent to prisons, amazon does not offer a choice of shippers. You have no control over how your order is shipped. If the prison you are sending to accepts only USPS (like some Florida prisons) your order will be returned to amazon.com if the shipper happens to be UPS. I've talked to amazon.com about this. They said that they hope to offer a choice of shippers some time in the future.

 
Foxylady101

Amazon.com is the best place to do this. I sent a book from Barnes & Noble recently and it was an out of print book so used. The prison did not accept it so the poor guy did not get it. New books from Amazon.com though are acceptable. Some prisons make the inmate fill out a form in anticipation of expecting a book so it's best to let the person know you are going to have it sent.

 
wolfdreamer

Pony amazon.com is one good place to send books to inmates

 
Pony79

i would like to send some books to my pen pal in arizona.. ive read the books behind bars thing a few times, but i cannot seem to find where it says how you go about it, and where do we send them to. am i just blind?