mission

The mission of Prison Book Program is to support people in prison by sending them free books and reading materials that meet their specific needs and interests. We do this through a highly engaging volunteer experience that connects people inside and outside of the American prison system.

need

Without access to the internet, books are one of the only places to turn for incarcerated people who wish to learn, imagine, study or grow. However, most prisons and jails are book deserts. The quality of prison libraries, when they exist at all, is generally poor. Lack of staffing and restrictive housing can also make libraries inaccessible to many or most of the people housed in a facility. Friends and loved ones on the outside are not allowed to send books directly to people in prison; instead, they must  be ordered from an approved vendor. Few incarcerated people have loved ones with the resources to purchase and send books from commercial vendors at full retail price. 

Prison Book Program is an approved book vendor at over 1,000 prisons
and jails in all 50 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. Our books have always been and always will be completely free to recipients. 

resources

We’ve been publishing and distributing The National Prisoner Resource List since the 1980’s. The NPRL is one of the most comprehensive and frequently updated directories of organizations that serve incarcerated people. It contains service descriptions and contact information for more than 100 organizations that provide health information, newsletters, pen pals, spiritual support, education, and much more. The NPRL is distributed by many other books to prison programs.

In 2024, Prison Book Program published its brand new, free legal resource for incarcerated people, the Insider’s Guide to Jailhouse Law. The Guide provides a comprehensive and practical overview of the legal system and discusses important legal developments over the last two decades. The Guide is one of the only free legal resources written specifically for incarcerated people that covers not only the process of challenging one’s convictions, but also how to take legal action regarding the conditions of confinement, request compassionate release, and prepare for parole hearings.

looking ahead

In May 2023, Prison Book Program’s board and staff completed the organization’s first-ever strategic plan. By 2028, PBP will dramatically expand its reach and volume; enhance its volunteer program and the quality of service provided to readers; and raise its organizational profile within greater Boston and nationwide.