1. D26 – Books Behind Bars: Community Development Librarianship in Prison Libraries Alternate title: "Mommy, can you read me some more music?" GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project 1

3. Our current projects and initiatives

4. Community Librarianship / Public Library perspective

5. Film

6. Take home message / Tips

7. How do we respond to the challenges and successes?

8. Questions? GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project 2

9. Background - Our Motivation Prisoner's Right to Read Statement (ALA 2010) 3 Unfettered access to information is essential [to] those who wish to prosper within a democratic society [...] Suppression of ideas does not prepare the incarcerated for transition to freedom. GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

10. Background - How We Got Started Tours Relationship Building Weeding Building Relationships Book drive More Relationship Building Training 4 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

11. Background - Building the Committee We recognize we are not "expert" librarians - rather we are learners in an unfamiliar space We are careful about making assumptions and are conscious of our own (potential) biases Service and project planning for the prison library has been community-led and collaborative 5 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

12. Background - About the EIFW Opened in 1995 Federal correctional facility for federally sentenced women Houses minimum, medium and maximum security female inmates Built to house 123 women 6 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

13. Background - About the Women 82% have a history of sexual or physical abuse Aboriginal women represent over 30% of women behind bars Over 80% of incarcerated women are serving time for poverty-related offences 2/3 of the women are mothers 66% do not have a high school diploma 7 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

14. Background - The Library 8 The prison librarian was my first job and a title I was very proud to hold [...] I have always believed the women who are within the prison system are those who are in the most need of all the resources a library and community can and should provide. - Susanne, former inmate librarianEIFW Fireweed Library GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

15. Storybook Kits 9 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

16. Book Club 10 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

17. 11 Blog [gelaprison.wordpress.com] GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

18. Our Approach: Community Development Librarianship 12 In a library context Community Development means building relationships with people that allow the library to go beyond a simple consultation and support process and expand into meaningful and inclusive collaborations. Community Development also emphasizes learning from the community and adapting library programs, services, and policies to meet the community's stated need. The Working Together Project, "Community Development" GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

19. Collaboration with Edmonton Public Library 13 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

20. Collaboration with Edmonton Public Library Current EPL corporate card expands book club kit borrowing. Support for reintegration. Upcoming EPL-EIFW Book Borrowing Pilot ProjectInstitutional borrowing privileges and monthly Community Librarian visits to explore viability of an ongoing arrangement at EIFW (and evaluate possibility of expanding project to other correctional facilities). 14 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

22. New volunteer group formed to explore projects that support technology literacy.

23. Currently in conversation with EIFW, Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton and EPL to identify needs and form response.

24. Goals include developing and delivering instruction sessions with recommendations for best practices.15 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

26. Careful planning doesn't always work because security procedures are always changing (we aren't supposed to know what to expect)

27. Communication and debriefing very important (we're learning as we go)

28. Consultation with KarraTait, CSC Social Program Officer, and prison officials when there are issues

29. Volunteer in pairs

30. Treatment upon entry can be emotionally challenging but we are learning not to take it personally16 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

32. Understand the constraints of the prison organization and work within them.

33. Communication -- learn who the right people are to speak to and what mode of communication is best (sometimes a phone call works better; sometimes email is better).

34. Relationships we have built are key in getting through.17 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

36. Forces us to compromise (i.e. collection policy)

37. Challenging policy not on the table (would put project at risk)

38. Recognize that the mission of Correctional Service Canada-EIFW and ours are different but that as individuals we all care about these women18 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

40. Securing support at government level has been unsuccessful (fed. gov't has indicated that these programs already exist but they do not) 19 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

42. Mentor the newly released

43. Provide technology/bibliographic instruction to the newly released

44. Advocate for libraries and librarians in prisons

45. Partner with GELA Prison project

46. Provide funding assistance for this project

47. Embark on similar projects (we can help by sharing our documentation, best practices, providing contacts, etc.)20 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

48. Kirsten Wurmann, Librarian, Legal Resource Centre Liz Fulton Lyne, Manager of Library Operations & Services, Yellowhead Tribal College Library MashaRibich, Community Librarian, Abbottsfield Penny Mckee Branch, Edmonton Public Library Moyra Lang, Researcher & Consultant, University of Alberta Tanya Driechel, Community Programming Librarian, Legal Resource Centre Convenor Tara Forman, Early Literacy Librarian, Strathcona County Library Technical supportJocelyn Badley, Virtual Services Librarian, Strathcona County Library Today's Presenters 21 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

49. Questions Some issues to think about: Are there other way for library workers and community partnerships to support this type of outreach service? Can you suggest other initiatives for the GELA Women's Prison Library and Reintegration Committee to pursue? 22 GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project

50. Many thanks to our partners and supporters: 23 Future Librarians for Intellectual Freedom (FLIF)University of Alberta BookstoresUpper Crust Café & Caterers For more information, check out our blog:http://gelaprison.wordpress.com Email: gelaprisonproject@gmail.com GELA Women's PrisonLibrary & Reintegration Project