Appalachian Prison Book Project
Challenging mass incarceration through books, education, and community engagement.
As doctors and scientists around the world struggle to recommend treatments and preventive measures for COVID-19, they also stress the importance of social distancing and maintaining proper hygiene practices. How capable are U.S. prisons—with their often cramped spaces and scant…
The day before going into a prison for the first time, I was anxious that I would somehow break the dress code and not be allowed in, despite reading through the dress code at least five times. I really wanted…
Read More My First Semester Working with Incarcerated People
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Appalachian Prison Book Project is temporarily closing its doors. Closed Until Further Notice APBP’s office is located in the Aull Center, which is owned and managed by the Morgantown Public Library. When they…
Read More APBP Suspending Volunteer Operations During Coronavirus Pandemic
My first day as a teaching assistant for an Inside-Out class was the first day I walked inside a prison. I had no idea what to expect and did not know what questions to ask. When we arrived at the…
The first rule of Book Club: You must talk about Book Club. Derivatively inverse of Fight Club’s mantra, I believe this philosophy best sums up one of the key aspects of serving as a volunteer at a prison. While many…
The men’s book club at Hazelton is about to have its third meeting, and already, the group has had such an impact on us. A Promising Start Everyone was nervous on our first day—no matter how many book clubs we…
Read More The Prison Book Club Syllabus: Learning, Listening, Inspiring
Book clubs are places of gathering and welcoming; analyzing and discussing; writing and dreaming. Attendees read new things, meet new people, and tackle new ideas. These clubs are iconic and mobile, and they can happen anywhere. Even behind bars. From…
We mailed more books to imprisoned people in 2018 than in any previous year -- more than 5,000. Here are the numbers as of October. Thanks to everyone who makes this work possible. We are excited to grow as a…
The Women's Book Club at Hazelton had a fantastic meeting Monday morning. It is impossible to convey how much energy and love propel these discussions. All i know (katy here) is how fortunate i feel every time we meet. Our…
