Abstract
AbstractLibrary and information science (LIS), as a whole, has not prioritized the information access of people inside of jails and prisons as a central tenet of library practice At the moment, there is growing attention given to states’ attempts to curtail book access for people inside of jails and prisons. Groups that provide free books to incarcerated people -- such as the numerous Books to Prisoners programs across the United States -- have been central to the discussions around access to information and resistance to censorship. These groups have drawn particular attention to the ways that Black, Indigenous, and people of color, as well as LGBTQ people, in prison experience ongoing oppression during incarceration because of limited access to materials relevant to their experiences. By identifying the types of information that are banned or limited, the difficulties people who are incarcerated face in seeking to access information, and the impact that access to information has in the lives of people who are incarcerated, this article explains prison censorship as a form of state-sponsored oppression, which is largely being combated by Books to Prisoners rather than LIS. The article ends by explaining LIS’ lack of attention to information access for people who are incarcerated.
Highlights
There has been growing attention given to states’ attempts to curtail book access for people inside of jails and prisons
By identifying the types of information that are banned or limited, the difficulties people who are incarcerated face in seeking to access information, and the impact that access to information has in the lives of people who are incarcerated, this article explains prison censorship as a form of state-sponsored oppression, which is largely being combated by Books to Prisoners rather than Library and information science (LIS)
It adds to existing publications on library services and information access for incarcerated people by including an intentional focus on how Black, Indigenous, and people of color, as well as LGBTQ people, in prison face ongoing oppressions during incarceration because of limited access to materials relevant to their experiences
Summary
There has been growing attention given to states’ attempts to curtail book access for people inside of jails and prisons. LIS’ lack of attention to information access to people who are incarcerated comes despite the American Library Association (ALA)’s core values of librarianship, which define, inform, and guide professional practice (ALA Council, 2019a) and the ALA’s Resolution on Prisoners’ Right to Read, which interprets the Library Bill of Rights The latter “asserts a compelling public interest in the preservation of intellectual freedom” for individuals held in carceral facilities (ALA Council, 2019b). This article addresses the threat that the carceral system poses to LIS’ core values by identifying the types of information that are banned or limited, the difficulties people who are incarcerated face in seeking access to information, and the impact that access to information has on the lives of people who are incarcerated It adds to existing publications on library services and information access for incarcerated people by including an intentional focus on how Black, Indigenous, and people of color, as well as LGBTQ people, in prison face ongoing oppressions during incarceration because of limited access to materials relevant to their experiences. The article identifies an opportunity for increased services, ending by offering possible courses of action that librarians, and LIS as a field, might take to support people who are incarcerated and the community-based groups that are involved in the ongoing project of resisting state oppression that occurs through information control within prisons
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
