PRISON LIBRARIES IN KINGSTON

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PRISON LIBRARIES IN KINGSTON

• A CONFLICT OF
• INSTITUTIONS

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• 7 Correctional Libraries in the Kingston area
• 4 other Correctional Libraries in Ontario
• Provincial System

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The Librarians.

• Teacher-Librarians - 4 CBI/BI/KP/RTC/WI
• Library Technicians -1 JI/PI
• Contract Librarians- 1 GVI
• Contract with City Library- FMI/BC
• No Librarian- FI
• National- MLS or MLIS -3

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CSCS POLICY

• Libraries are information centres that support
  all institutional programs and address offenders'
  needs for recreational, cultural, spiritual,
  educational and informative materials.

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MORE POLICY

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

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AND.

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

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OF COURSE.

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

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LEGAL POLICY

• The institutional librarian will ensure that the
  institution's library has available historical
  and current copies of legal, regulatory and
  official reference materials
• (13 VARIOUS ACTS IN BOTH OFFICIAL LANGUAGES)

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WHAT WE REALLY DO..

• Offenders use the Library up to 10 times as much
  as a person in the community
• One stop shopping
• Inmate supervision and
• Prison committees sensitive material
• Everything connected with the Library

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THE ISSUES

• Conflict between institutions-
• Libraries are about order, organization, peace
  and quiet, free access to information
• Penitentiaries are about chaos, tight security
  and control, noise and violence
• Working in isolation
• Low profile-part of the whole

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YOUR READERS

• High level of illiteracy 90 lt grade 12
• High rate of mental illness and emotional
  instability
• 99 male
• Many, many, many different cultures
• Different social, racial and cultural backgrounds

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A GREAT PRISON LIBRARIAN MUST HAVE

• Strong sense of values and goals Never be drawn
  into the subculture
• Flexibility (lockdowns, emotional outbursts,
  sudden transfers, unexpected budget cuts)
• Patience inmates are needy, demanding,
  impatient, volatile, dirty

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AND.

• Emotional Stability Leave work behind at the end
  of the day- be objective
• High tolerance for stress
• Sense of humor Relieves stress defuses tense
  situations

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MORE QUALITIES

• A genuine desire to help
• Credibility If the Librarian doesnt have it, no
  inmate will respect her or the library.
• Fairness and tolerance keep personal bias aside
  when selecting material and responding to
  requests
• Ability to follow policy and procedures Same
  treatment regardless of crime

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THE MOST IMPORTANT..

• Communication skills Includes listening,
  non-verbal cues (You may be interacting with a
  sociopath/behavior disorder
• Problem solving skills includes common sense and
  rational thinking
• Teaching skills Inmate library workers
• Expertise in marketing and public relations
• Awareness of security issues

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THE REWARDS

• Huge impact on people using the library for the
  first time
• Something positive in a negative atmosphere
• Independence
• Credibility in the workplace
• Impact on dysfunctional people- swearing
  respect for books and reading

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ICING ON THE CAKE!

• SELF CONFIDENCE
• SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
• RECOGNITION