[Bookstoprisoners] Re: First day of library at the jail

Sun Sep 25 12:48:50 CDT 2005

A few more thoughts to add to Frances's:

Index cards sound good, but inmates may bring back only three of  
their six books, so presumably crossing off those returned and then  
keeping the card until all are back might make sense.

I'm not well-versed in privacy issues (and not much is private in  
this setting), but maybe it would be best to have bigger cards, with  
name and number on top; just cross off returns and add new books  
checked out. Don't toss cards.

I assume this is a very transient population, books will wander, may  
get returned by someone who didn't originally check them out. The  
more dramatic titles will probably get read quickly and passed along.  
How tough will we be on the "bring back 6 before checking out more"  
policy?

Unlike our files in the basement at BTP, it might be nice to file  
these by name and not number (with number included.)

Susan Bruce
On Sep 25, 2005, at 11:07 AM, Frances Jacobson Harris wrote:

> A couple of thoughts below -
>   Frances
>
> On Sep 24, 2005, at 6:15 PM, Suzanne Linder wrote:
>
>>
>> Hello Librarians!
>>
>> I am happy to report that the first day of library at the Downtown  
>> Jail was a tremendous success.  Ann Bishop, Jay, Sandra, and I  
>> were there to check out books to any inmate at the jail who was  
>> interested.  My favorite moment was when an inmate came into the  
>> room, climbed up on a chair, and pulled a stack of books out from  
>> behind the shelves--he had been in the library earlier in the week  
>> for a meeting and was so excited about checking out books that he  
>> had hidden the books he wanted to ensure that they would be there  
>> when he got his turn at the library.  Multiple prisoners pointed  
>> out to us the raggedy books that used to be in the library and  
>> happily compared them to the new and diverse books that are in the  
>> library now.
>>
>> Check out procedures:
>> We are using a fairly primitive system for checking out books-- 
>> inmates are allowed six books at a time and we have been recording  
>> the inmate's name and number along with the titles they have  
>> checked out in the two composition books that are in the room.  
>> When they return any of the books, we will need to find their  
>> record in the composition book and cross off the books they have  
>> returned, before we can check out more books to them.
>>
>
> Instead of composition books, it might be worthwhile making these  
> records on index cards (probably 4" by 6") - 1 inmate, 1 card. Then  
> the cards can be filed alphabetically by name. When the inmate  
> returns the books, the card is pulled and tossed (which also  
> protects privacy). Still primitive, but efficient and does the job!
>
>
>>
>> Scheduling and substitutes:
>> I have attached the final draft of the staffing schedule to this  
>> email.  Please make a note of when you are scheduled to work.  If  
>> your schedule changes and you are no longer able to staff the  
>> library on the day you are scheduled, you will be responsible for  
>> finding a substitute.  I have attached an incomplete substitute  
>> list to this email.  If you are willing to serve as a substitute,  
>> please send me your phone number and I will add your name to the  
>> list and send out an updated list in a week.  When you arrange a  
>> substitute, please send Nancy Griffin an email at   
>> NGriffin at co.champaign.il.us to let her know of the change--this is  
>> very important as the jail needs to know who to plan for.
>>
>> Questions for discussion:
>> We had several prisoners ask for specific books that we are able  
>> to provide our collection at the IMC (books by Dan Brown, for  
>> instance).  We are able to bring in additional boxes of books-- 
>> when we do bring in books that fill a special request, should we  
>> tag them and save them for the prisoner who asked for them?  How  
>> would we work a request system across multiple librarians?
>>
>
> Again, index cards! In a box, filed this time by author. When a  
> book comes in from the IMC, it should be tagged. The librarian  
> looks in box, the inmate's name will be on the card. Same with  
> books that are being returned by inmates. The request cards should  
> be checked before books are shelved. Is there a way of notifying  
> inmates when a request has arrived?
>
>
>>
>> What do you all think about putting a sticker on the spine of  
>> books that are by or about African-Americans?  Inmates averaged  
>> about 8 minutes in the library and if they were particularly  
>> interested in books about African-Americans it was hard to find  
>> them in that amount of time.  If we put stickers on the spine,  
>> they could stay in their appropriate categorized but also be  
>> easily identified.
>>
>
> Sounds good to me.
>
>>
>>  Thanks!
>>  Suzanne
>>
>> When you do arrive at the jail, please arrive 10-15 minutes before  
>> your shift as it takes some time to go through the check in process.
>>
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***********************
Susan P. Bruce
1501 N Coler Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
217-384-2002
217-840-9120 (portable)

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