Hello all,
I am delighted and proud to announce that The Brooklyn Society For Ethical Culture now has a Books to Prisoners program. On Friday July 26th We mailed twelve cartons of books to the Montogmery State Prison in Mount Vernon, GA. I have spent the last year gathering these books from the neighborhood and used book stores and even Barnes & Noble when they had a sale on dictionaries. At an average of 20 books—hardcovers and paperbacks—per carton for a total of about 240 books. Mostly fiction.
To me this is at the heart of our Mission which I have always felt was grounded in education. I have a list of prison libraries that I am going to send to in the coming months. The biggest cost is the postage. This was about $20.00 per carton at the USPS. I have pledged $1,200.00 for the coming year to fund this program. After speaking to and emailing to the librarians at these prisons I can see there is great need. Prison libraries are underfunded if they are funded at all. Its donations or nothing.
I am happily and gratefully accepting donations of books and money for postage.
Some guidelines:
Nothing spiral bound, or containing nudity or instructions on making your own weapons etc. Nothing too worn or old or written in or on.
What is needed most: Dictionaries, thesauruses, mysteries and thrillers, science fiction. Anything by or about people of color. Spanish language.
At the moment we do not have a collection point at BSEC so you will have to contact me and bring the books to my house. Contact me at [email protected].
PS another great organization I have worked with if you want to give books to individual prisoners who write for specific titles is: https://booksthroughbarsnyc.
Best,
Vincent Downing
