Books have given me valuable skills. My ability to write, read, and communicate ideas has improved. I no longer struggle to express myself.

Further, books are an excellent educational tool. Many of us [inmates] are not high school graduates, and have low reading skills and struggle to comprehend our G.E.D. materials, so reading is a way to improve our comprehension in classes.

I have received carpentry books, a dictionary, and a thesaurus [from the Prison Book Program]. These books are great! I’m learning a new job skill I can use once I get out [of prison]. Plus, I have increased my vocabulary.

Many inmates here also request history or language books so that we can identify with our ancestral heritage. That may be German, Spanish, or other European countries. The language skills we learn from language books can also be put on a resume.

These books are a really big help. I know that they really help me and they are not just sitting in my locker. When I finish them I share them. So, if you can, please continue to send books to me and other inmates!