Sentences: Book Donations to Prison Libraries and Juvenile Detention Centers discussion

Hi Folks,

We're revamping our juvenile detention center library and need help building a collection that resonates with incarcerated youth. We're especially interested in:

Graphic novels: Captivating stories and visuals
Urban fiction: Relatable narratives that reflect their experiences
Nonfiction: Empowering knowledge on fitness, mental health, gardening, entrepreneurship, teen parenting, legal rights, drawing, and more

Bonus:
Existing Catalogs: If you manage a similar library, sharing your catalog or recommendations would be a huge help!
Vetting Process: Insights into your selection process, like how you handle potentially sensitive content (e.g., "The Cartel" series), would be invaluable.
Your input will make a real difference in enriching the lives of these young people. Thank you!

Hi Kimberly! For the book donation part of your question, would you be willing to share some info with the group? Information needed would be:
-Name of facility
-What you are looking for (titles, authors, genres, etc.)
-Any donation limitations (some places can't take hard cover books)
-Mailing address (must be able to ship via USPS to get the media rate)
-Any additional donation instructions, like if a donation form is needed.

For the second part of your question, which was about managing a catalog and the vetting process, that's not my department but I'll see if I can get you in touch someone.

Thanks for reaching out! We'll see what we can do to help!

Hi again Kimberly! For the second part of your question, I have someone you can reach out to. Her name is Julie Forbes and she knows you may be emailing her. She runs a program in Washington and has done an amazing job with it, so she should be a great person to write to. Her email is jforbes (at) chehalisschools (dot) org


Kimberly wrote: "Hi Folks,

We're revamping our juvenile detention center library and need help building a collection that resonates with incarcerated youth. We're especially interested in:

Graphic novels: Captiv..."

A good resource is the Young Adult Library Services Association (part of the American Library Association). They publish lists every year. Books are reviewed and listed by librarians who work with teens, including reluctant readers. https://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsaw...