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Clallam Bay Corrections Center library
Institutional Libraries use poetry to promote community

Institutional Libraries use poetry to promote community

A couple weeks ago, a patron of our library at Clallam Bay Corrections Center told me, “I’m not even a reader, but this is a place where I always feel safe.” Sentiments like these, along with brilliant inquires, ideas, and authenticity, inspire me to create innovative programs and challenge me to provide the best services possible in an institutional library setting. On April 25, Washington State Library’s Institutional Library Services held its first ever Poetry Day, in which institutional libraries…

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Patricia Briggs visits Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Library

Patricia Briggs visits Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Library

On April 9th, 2013, at the invitation of Library Associate Gayle Shonkwiler, Patricia  Briggs, author of the Mercy Thompson shapeshifter series, visited the Coyote Ridge Corrections Center. The presentation was very well received and liked by the 30 inmates in attendance. Patricia read from her newest best seller “Frost Burned” which was just released in March.  After the reading she answered questions about everything from her books, how to write, how to get published and character development. Patricia thoroughly enjoyed her…

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Redemption through Reading

Redemption through Reading

According to a recent Reuters news item, the country of Brazil is offering a novel way for prisoners to shorten their sentences: read a book! Inmates in 4 federal prisons can read up to 12 works of literature, classics, science, or philosophy, and shorten their incarceration by 4 days per book, up to a maximum of 48 days off their sentences. The program, which is called “Redemption through Reading,” requires the inmates to read the book within 4 weeks, and…

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Emcee at Poetry Reading at Washington Corrections Center for Women

Emcee at Poetry Reading at Washington Corrections Center for Women

On May 10th, 2012 the WCCW Library hosted a poetry reading. Laura Sherbo and Doug Gelis planned the event and invited 3 poets to come and read their and other poet’s poems. 70 inmates signed up to attend and 35 showed up to listen to poetry read. This was held in the WCCW Visit Room.   The first poet to read was Kathleen Flenniken. Kathleen is the current Poet Laureate of Washington State. The second poet to read was Merna…

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Author of Sisters Brothers visits Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

Author of Sisters Brothers visits Coyote Ridge Corrections Center

Sisters Brothers is a book about two brothers from gold-rush era Oregon and California who are employed as henchmen. They ride horses, camp out on the trail, try to gather clues about their target, and eventually uncover a lot more than they probably wanted to know about him. What starts out as a simple job becomes something more fantastic, and the two become entangled in the life of a man they set out to eliminate. As I was reading this book last…

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Virtual Reference in Prison

Virtual Reference in Prison

Librarians at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, Washington Corrections Center Shelton, and Washington State Penitentiary, have started using kiosks at their local institutions to send overdue notices and hold pickup notices to offenders. We are also answering questions submitted by offenders.  The result has been even better than expected!  At Coyote Ridge, we have drastically reduced our paper usage by sending the notices over the kiosk.  The new system is a win-win for staff and offenders alike; correctional officers don’t have…

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Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) Braille Team Receives Award

Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) Braille Team Receives Award

It is not everyday that inmates are recognized for the work they do for the community.  Inmates are serving time for a crime they have committed against society.  However, many of them are making a difference in any way they can.  This includes the Braille Team at WCCW.  These women have taken the time to develop their skill and to become certified so that they can provide a wonderful service to the blind community.  To read more about the service that…

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Inmate magazines

Inmate magazines

Magazines Galore For the most part inmate directed magazines come and go, but we recently started getting a new magazine in our library.  Hopefully, Insider Magazine will stick around.  I am sure funding can be an issue in a lot of cases, but also staff who are willing to take the time to provide the magazine can be as well.  I have only seen a few copies, but so far, so good.  Interesting articles are spread throughout the publication, along with…

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Urban Fiction in Prisons

Urban Fiction in Prisons

Urban fiction, street lit, and “gangsta” fiction are all terms used to describe novels that deal with life on the street.  Some may say that the books glamorize the criminal element of the world and are not appropriate for anyone to read, but especially not for inmates.  I would have to disagree.  Many of us, and inmates included, read material that they can relate to, and for them this could be the urban books of the gangster lifestyle.  Yes there…

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Time

Time

What is time?  It can be a short time, a long time, an easy time, or a hard time, but for an inmate it can also be a slow time.  Time seems to pass slower in prison, for many a day can seem like a week or a month.  Years don’t fly by in prison, they crawl and it can truly feel like an eternity.  Books help the time pass and let you forget where you are for a while.