Resources: Books, Magazines, and Publishers
PARC corresponds with and mails a directory of these resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. We are often the first point of contact for people to connect with prisoners' rights organizations, community organizations, prison literature and arts projects, family and visiting resources, health care and legal resources, parole and pre-release resources, and the prison abolition movement.
Download a PDF copy of the 2019 Resource Guide.
| Resource | Category |
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Anarchist Black Cross Los Angeles Since the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC), has been on the frontline in supporting those imprisoned for struggling for freedom and liberty. In May of 1995, a small group of ABC collectives merged into a Federation whose aim was to focus on the overall support and defense of political prisoners and prisoners of war. Write for information on political prisoners and for addresses of other chapters in Bakersfield CA, Inland Empire CA, Orange County, Lancaster PA, Philadelphia PA, and New York City. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Newsletters and Magazines |
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Appalachian Prison Book Project The Appalachian Prison Book Project sends free books, hosts book clubs inside prisons in our region, and is leading an effort to bring for-credit college courses into prison. They provides books to prisoners in the Appalachian region only; KY, MD, OH, TN, VA, & WV. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Asheville Prison Books Sends free reading material to folks incarcerated in North Carolina and South Carolina, including county jails, detention centers, state prisons, and federal facilities. They do not have a catalogue, but try to match requests to books as best they can. Serves people in North Carolina and South Carolina only. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Athens Books to Prisoners Athens Books to Prisoners is a volunteer run organization that sends free books to prisoners in Ohio upon request. Serves people in Ohio only. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Book 'Em Book 'Em is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that sends free educational books and quality reading material to prisoners in Pennsylvania only. Prisoners may request books by subject. May not be active due to covid. Sends books to individuals in Pennsylania only. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Books Through Bars Free books across the Eastern Seaboard. Prisoners may request by topic (not exact title or author), and provide several areas of interest if possible. Sends to DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA & VA only. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Books to Prisoners (Seattle) Request by subject; very few religious or legal materials. Does not ship to prisons that require all books sent be new. No requests from male prisoners in California. Write directly to request. Serves people nationwide, with exceptions. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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DC Books to Prisoners Sends books to all states. Requests should be by category, not specific titles. Please MAIL us your request. We do not have ability to respond to email requests. List subjects of interest as well as prison restrictions, if known. Requests by title and author are challenging to fulfill. Sends nationally. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Free Books Programs |
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Edward R. Hamilton Books Vendor of overstock and bargain books, some hardbound and others paperbound (type of binding listed in catalogs). Sends out free book catalogs, organized by the following subject areas: Arts & Education; Fiction; Healthy Living; History; Home & Garden; Biography; Cookbooks; Military History; Craft/Needlecrafts; Science & Nature; New Arrivals; and Bargain Books. Serves people nationally. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Vendors and Publishers |
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Freebird Publishers Offers prisoner titles such as Cell Chef Cookbook, Life With A Record, Start Thinking Outside Prison, and other books, guides, newsletters, collectible artwork photos, greeting cards, and niche items created for and by incarcerated individuals. Send for their packet of color brochures, and include a pre-addresses stamped envelope for faster service. Produces Inmate Shopper (2018-19 Issue), which is America's largest book of resources for inmate's services plus many other sections of reading and entertainment. PARC especially recommends the Inmate Shopper because it reviews and rates many of the businesses that service inmates. Order online, phone, email or send a payment for $24.99 (includes priority shipping & tracking) to the above address. Accepts JPay and Corrlinks at Diane@FreebirdPublishers.com. MoneyGram also accepted. |
Books, Magazines, and Publishers, Vendors and Publishers |