Books Beyond Bars

Thanks to You

Looking back at a few recent letters of thanks that illuminate the purpose and power of Books Beyond Bars.

Dec 24, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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November 2025

Book Bans and the Obstacles to Reading in Prison

Book bans are just one set of challenges that incarcerated individuals face in their attempts to access sufficient reading matter behind bars.

Nov 12, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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August 2025

Duty of Care

In a powerful 2018 book, Alisa Roth shows how American jails and prisons have become de facto mental health care institutions, a role they remain…

Aug 7, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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April 2025

"A Safe Haven in Troubled Times"

A recent strike by New York correctional officers disrupted access to prison libraries, making BBB an even more critical resource for many incarcerated…

Apr 30, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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February 2025

Amplifying Black Incarcerated Voices

To mark Black History Month, we take a look at three highly influential and often-requested titles that detail the experiences of Black incarcerated…

Feb 13, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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January 2025

Our Year in Books

2024 was a busy year for Books Beyond Bars, with more requests fulfilled than ever before, and recipients' letters revealed what a real difference those…

Jan 15, 2025 • Books Beyond Bars

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December 2024

Fact and Fantasy

Our list of top 25 most-requested titles reveals some surprises among the perennial favorites, with escapist enjoyment popular along with practical…

Dec 3, 2024 • Books Beyond Bars

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October 2024

Make Room for James Patterson

Incarcerated individuals have reading needs that are as diverse as the population at large, and that includes popular fiction.

Oct 2, 2024 • Books Beyond Bars

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June 2024

Books with Pride

LGBTQIA+ people face particular challenges in gaining access to books in prison.

Jun 21, 2024 • Books Beyond Bars

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May 2024

April 2024

Our Relationship with Book Donations?

It's complicated...

Apr 1, 2024 • Books Beyond Bars

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March 2024

Books Sustained Him

The value that Aleksei A. Navalny placed on the ability to read in prison is reflected in the experience of Books Beyond Bars's clients. In National…

Mar 4, 2024 • Books Beyond Bars

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