PRISON LIBRARIES IN PRISON LIBRARIES IN KINGSTONKINGSTON

A CONFLICT OF A CONFLICT OF

INSTITUTIONSINSTITUTIONS

7 Correctional Libraries in the 7 Correctional Libraries in the Kingston areaKingston area

++ 4 other Correctional Libraries in 4 other Correctional Libraries in

OntarioOntario ++

Provincial SystemProvincial System

The Librarians….The Librarians….

Teacher-Librarians - 4 Teacher-Librarians - 4 CBI/BI/KP/RTC/WICBI/BI/KP/RTC/WI

Library Technicians -1 JI/PILibrary Technicians -1 JI/PI Contract Librarians- 1 GVIContract Librarians- 1 GVI Contract with City Library- FMI/BCContract with City Library- FMI/BC No Librarian- FINo Librarian- FI National- MLS or MLIS -3National- MLS or MLIS -3

CSC’S POLICYCSC’S POLICYLibraries are information centres Libraries are information centres that support all institutional that support all institutional

programs and address offenders' programs and address offenders' needs for recreational, cultural, needs for recreational, cultural,

spiritual, educational and spiritual, educational and informative materials. informative materials.

MORE POLICY…MORE POLICY…

The Institutional Head will ensure The Institutional Head will ensure that the library provides services that the library provides services and computerized resources and computerized resources which are comparable to those in which are comparable to those in the community libraries, the community libraries, while while taking into considerationtaking into consideration both both the needs of the correctional the needs of the correctional environment and the limitations environment and the limitations of the physical space available. of the physical space available.

AND….AND….

The Institutional Head should The Institutional Head should also ensure that the library has also ensure that the library has sufficient books and material to sufficient books and material to meet the basic needs of minority meet the basic needs of minority official language inmates. Inter-official language inmates. Inter-library loans with community library loans with community libraries should be encouraged libraries should be encouraged where possible.where possible.

OF COURSE….OF COURSE….

In addition, libraries will provide the In addition, libraries will provide the opportunity to educate offenders in opportunity to educate offenders in the full use of library resources. the full use of library resources.

LEGAL POLICYLEGAL POLICY

The institutional librarian will ensure The institutional librarian will ensure that the institution's library has that the institution's library has available historical and current available historical and current copies of legal, regulatory and official copies of legal, regulatory and official reference materialsreference materials

(13 VARIOUS ACTS IN BOTH OFFICIAL (13 VARIOUS ACTS IN BOTH OFFICIAL LANGUAGES)LANGUAGES)

WHAT WE REALLY DO..WHAT WE REALLY DO..

Offenders use the Library up to 10 Offenders use the Library up to 10 times as much as a person in the times as much as a person in the communitycommunity

One stop shoppingOne stop shopping Inmate supervision and Inmate supervision and Prison committees –sensitive materialPrison committees –sensitive material Everything connected with the LibraryEverything connected with the Library

THE ISSUES…THE ISSUES…

Conflict between institutions-Conflict between institutions- Libraries are about order, organization, Libraries are about order, organization,

peace and quiet, free access to peace and quiet, free access to informationinformation

Penitentiaries are about chaos, tight Penitentiaries are about chaos, tight security and control, noise and security and control, noise and violenceviolence

Working in isolationWorking in isolation Low profile-part of the wholeLow profile-part of the whole

YOUR READERS…YOUR READERS…

High level of illiteracy – 90% < grade High level of illiteracy – 90% < grade 1212

High rate of mental illness and High rate of mental illness and emotional instabilityemotional instability

99% male99% male Many, many, many different culturesMany, many, many different cultures Different social, racial and cultural Different social, racial and cultural

backgroundsbackgrounds

A A GREATGREAT PRISON LIBRARIAN PRISON LIBRARIAN MUST HAVE:MUST HAVE:

Strong sense of values and goals: Strong sense of values and goals: Never be drawn into the subcultureNever be drawn into the subculture

Flexibility: (lockdowns, emotional Flexibility: (lockdowns, emotional outbursts, sudden transfers, outbursts, sudden transfers, unexpected budget cuts) unexpected budget cuts)

Patience: inmates are needy, Patience: inmates are needy, demanding, impatient, volatile, dirtydemanding, impatient, volatile, dirty

AND….AND….

Emotional Stability: Leave work Emotional Stability: Leave work behind at the end of the day- be behind at the end of the day- be objectiveobjective

High tolerance for stressHigh tolerance for stress Sense of humor: Relieves stress Sense of humor: Relieves stress

defuses tense situationsdefuses tense situations

MORE QUALITIES:MORE QUALITIES:

A genuine desire to helpA genuine desire to help Credibility: If the Librarian doesn’t have Credibility: If the Librarian doesn’t have

it, no inmate will respect her or the it, no inmate will respect her or the library.library.

Fairness and tolerance: keep personal Fairness and tolerance: keep personal bias aside when selecting material and bias aside when selecting material and responding to requestsresponding to requests

Ability to follow policy and procedures: Ability to follow policy and procedures: Same treatment regardless of crimeSame treatment regardless of crime

THE MOST IMPORTANT..THE MOST IMPORTANT..

Communication skills: Includes listening, Communication skills: Includes listening, non-verbal cues (You may be interacting non-verbal cues (You may be interacting with a sociopath/behavior disorderwith a sociopath/behavior disorder

Problem solving skills: includes common Problem solving skills: includes common sense and rational thinkingsense and rational thinking

Teaching skills: Inmate library workersTeaching skills: Inmate library workers Expertise in marketing and public Expertise in marketing and public

relationsrelations Awareness of security issuesAwareness of security issues

THE REWARDS…THE REWARDS…

Huge impact on people using the Huge impact on people using the library for the first timelibrary for the first time

Something positive in a negative Something positive in a negative atmosphereatmosphere

IndependenceIndependence Credibility in the workplaceCredibility in the workplace Impact on dysfunctional people- Impact on dysfunctional people-

“swearing” respect for books and “swearing” respect for books and readingreading

ICING ON THE CAKE!ICING ON THE CAKE!

SELF CONFIDENCESELF CONFIDENCE SENSE OF SENSE OF

ACCOMPLISHMENTACCOMPLISHMENT RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION