Pages to prisoners project

The Midwest pages to prisoners project is an all volunteer effort that strives to encourage self-education among (death row) prisoners in the United States . By providing free reading materials upon request, they hope to aid in the rehabilitation process and stimulate critical thinking behind bars.

The Midwest pages to prisoners project is an organization made up of volunteers working in their spare time to provide free books to (death row) prisoners. their volunteers are concerned citizens and activists interested in rehabilitation, rather than punishment.

The project exists to alleviate pain, boredom, and attrition and to provide a direct opportunity for self-education. Additionally, they exist because prison libraries sometimes fail in this respect, and are under-stocked, or are only able to be patronized during specific and limited hours. They exist because prisoners are not strangers: they are brothers, sisters, friends, cousins, mothers and children.

The Midwest pages to prisoners project can be supported by donating materials, books and/or money. They are always in need of packaging materials and reusable manilla envelopes. Please contact them before donating books and checks.

The Midwest pages to prisoners was formed in 1995 and has 501 (c) 3 non-profit status. They get around 75-100 letters (book requests) from prisoners per week.  They fill those requests from their library of donations which is located in the back of Boxcar Books, an all volunteer, non-profit, collectively run bookstore.  Prisoners may receive books every two months, but they are currently running about 4 1/2 months behind (i.e. they are filling letters from November now) due to their increasing popularity and the increasing need for programs like theirs. They send all over the country, with exceptions being Texas (they have an enormous number of people in prison and have their own book program), Michigan and Oregon (their restrictions on books limit the prisoners to only receiving new books, which they cannot afford to send), and some prisons in California which won't accept their packages. 

Death Row Speaks completely supports this project and would like to ask visitors to consider to help! Projects like this are very much needed and really make a difference in the end.

For more information visit the Pages to prisoners or Boxcar bookstore website. The Pages to prisoners project can also be contacted by e-mail.

Additional information:

Boxcar books and community center
310A South Washington
Bloomington, IN. 47401
USA

Phone: 812.339.8710

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