Photo courtesy of Washington State Library

No matter what type we’re talking, people who use their libraries like them a lot, whether it’s a library down the street or a library inside a prison. That’s pretty clear when you see the cool photos (like the one at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center’s library, above) featured in “Library Snapshot Day,” which was held this week by the Washington State Library’s Institutional Library Services (ILS) team.  It takes a close look at the State Library branches in correctional facilities and state-run psychiatric hospitals throughout Washington.

Library Snapshot Day features photos of the libraries at Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Coyote Ridge CC, Twin Rivers CC, Washington Corrections Center for Women, Washington State Reformatory, the Washington State Penitentiary’s east and west complexes, and Western State Hospital.

You can check out the photos and info from “Library Snapshot Day” by going to the Washington State Library’s ILS Facebook page or the Facebook page for ILS’ “Library Snapshot Day.” You can also read about it on the State Library’s blog.

Judging by the Facebook comments, many inmates and patients appreciate the libraries that serve them. An inmate at Airway Heights Corrections Center near Spokane wrote the following on the ILS Snapshot Day Facebook page:

‎ “Without the library I could not become a better more responsible citizen. The need to learn, to grow is everything to an inmate reentering society. We need it like we need food in the chow hall. I thank Wa State everyday for providing it.”

A total of 1,287 patients/inmates and 156 staff members visited their institutional library on Snapshot Day. This resulted in 868 reference questions, 4,623 items circulated, and 352 reference material used. Fifty-four inmates/patients were registered as new patrons and 15 staff members also joined the ranks of library patrons.