Prison Book Program

{{Short description|Inmate literacy organization}}

Prison Book Program is an American non-profit organization that sends free books to people in prison.{{Cite web |last=Sweeney |first=Emily |title=Quincy program celebrates 40 years of sending books to inmates - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/south/2012/06/09/quincy-prison-book-program-celebrates-years-sending-reading-material-inmates/qBHawIDndFbpeSvF2xdZ4J/story.html |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=BostonGlobe.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-08-13 |title=Quincy nonprofit sends books to people in prison |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/prison-book-program-support-incarcerated-individuals-1723487419/61855853 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=WCVB |language=en}} While the organization is based in Massachusetts, it mails packages of books to people in prisons in 45 U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico and Guam.{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Levan |date=2022-05-16 |title=Prison Book Program gives inmates opportunities to learn - CBS Boston |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/prison-book-program-kelly-brotzman/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} The program receives letters from people in prison asking for specific titles or genres, which volunteers use to put together a package of books chosen from a small library of donated books.{{Cite web |last=Whitfill |first=Mary |title='Power of books' still strong at Quincy program for inmates |url=https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/local/2019/07/07/power-books-still-strong/4734436007/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=The Patriot Ledger |language=en-US}} The organization is run out of the basement of the United First Parish Church in Quincy, Massachusetts.{{Cite web |last=Yunen |first=Thalia |title=Prison Book Program draws attention of Suffolk students |url=https://thesuffolkjournal.com/12415/news/prison-book-program-draws-attention-of-suffolk-students/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=The Suffolk Journal}} Kelly Brotzman, a former professor with a PhD in social ethics from the University of Chicago, currently serves as Executive Director.{{Cite AV media |url=https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/0l61qrd2cTIyQzYJ0oHNRYLt8lmyVn7U/playlists/6985/media/817277?autostart=true&showtabssearch=true&fullscreen=false |title=A Conversation with Dr. Kelly Brotzman |language=en |access-date=2025-02-09 |via=videoplayer.telvue.com}}{{Cite web |title=New Faces: Dr. Kelly Brotzman |url=https://www.bridgew.edu/news-events/news/new-faces-dr-kelly-brotzman |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Bridgewater State University |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Inquest |title=Kelly Brotzman |url=https://inquest.org/people/kelly-brotzman/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Inquest |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Nair |first=Lindsey |date=2016-04-29 |title=Study in Contrasts |url=https://columns.wlu.edu/study-in-contrasts/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |department=The Columns |magazine=W&L Magazine|language=en}} The organization tracks restrictions that prisons place on books, and advocates for greater access to books in prison.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=The Right to Read: Ensuring Access to Books for Everyone, Everywhere featuring Cory Doctorow, Leah Johnson and Kelly Brotzman |url=https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/66cf2d8bf520192f005fcc50 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=BiblioEvents |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-23 |title='A way to escaping': Cape Cod prisoners hit the books in jail library |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/01/23/barnstable-county-jail-library-cape-cod-falmouth |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.wbur.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-01-06 |title=How TN quietly made it harder for prisoners to access books |url=https://www.wkms.org/criminal-justice/2025-01-06/how-tn-quietly-made-it-harder-for-prisoners-to-access-books |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=WKMS |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Farrar |first=Molly |date=2024-08-21 |title=How difficult is it to read in prison? It varies by each Massachusetts facility, advocates say. |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/08/21/how-difficult-is-it-to-read-in-prison-it-varies-by-each-massachusetts-facility-advocates-say/?amp=1 |access-date=2025-02-09 |work=Boston.com |language=en-US}} Prison Book Program partners with local bookstores, libraries, universities, and more to collect donated books and spread awareness of book access within prisons.{{Cite web |title=#BUandBoston: Boston University Prison Outreach Initiative |url=https://www.bu.edu/ioc/2023/02/14/buandboston-boston-university-prison-outreach-initiative/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Boston University}}