Prison Librarianship Policy and Practice

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Prison Librarianship Policy and Practice is written by Suzanna Conrad and published by McFarland. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 1476627029 (ISBN 10) and 9781476627021 (ISBN 13).

Prisoners are in a grey area regarding library services. Prison libraries violate many tenets of librarianship, with the justification of maintaining order. The field is de-professionalized--many positions are filled by persons without degrees in library science, and corrections administrators often write policy for services. Critics cite the need to implement public library service models despite practical difficulties. This book investigates state, national and international policies on prison libraries, reviews literature on the topic and describes partnerships between prisons and public libraries. Results from a national survey and follow-up interviews are included, providing a full narrative of policy outcomes in U.S. prisons.