The West Virginia University Department of English is accepting donations for the Appalachian Prison Book Project, a program that supplies free books to the incarcerated in the Appalachian region.
The work of APBP was supported by a WVU Public Service Grant. The organization recently lost its official funding, and it is supported through University and public donations.
The APBP was created in 2004 and is made up of WVU undergraduates, graduate students service-learners from the Center for Civic Engagement, WVU faculty and staff, and community members who respond to individual requests for books.
"Prison systems are designed to create better prisoners," said Pamela Debarr, four-year volunteer and Mountainlair Administrative Secretary.
"They don't go in expected to come out a better person. They go in and become less ready for society. My interest is trying to help the inmates to better themselves while they are in there to become more productive."
The largest request the project receives is for dictionaries, but inmates also ask for other topics: auto repair manuals, psychology books, textbooks and fiction novels.
For security, everything that is sent has to be paperback, Debarr said.
"We get close to 200 letters a month," Debarr said. "Some inmates will give us their entire life story because they're so excited they might get a book. They just want something to think about. It's a wonderful service."
One prisoner wrote a letter saying, "Whether new or used books, I will fully accept them and be grateful that you have at least taken time out to mail me what you have."
Another said he was
"hoping he can get a calender and a book or two, as he doesn't have much money to buy them."
Popular leisure materials include westerns and science fiction," said Bob Roberts, secretary for APBP. Roberts is a volunteer who writes letters and helps mail out packages while serving on the Board of Directors.
"Some people are really specific in requesting books," Roberts said. "Others will just give a genre. A few just want anything they can get. We work hard to try and match books to people as well as we can."
The project is currently pursuing nonprofit status, and the publicity over the last year has raised awareness and gotten the word out. Reading is great for lowering the recidivism rate and keeping people from repeating offenses and returning to prison, and the project has evolved to help that," he said.
"They really appreciate someone taking the time and energy to provide them with assistance," Roberts said. "I think the perception most inmates have is that they're locked away and forgotten about. Knowing there are some people out there thinking about them, caring about them and trying to help them, they are very appreciative."
A large amount of book donations come from the senior center in the Mountaineer Mall. Much of the income to keep the program running comes from fundraising.
APBP will hold a jazz benefit concert Nov. 11 at the Monongalia Arts Center, and cover is $5.
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