Getting books while one is incarcerated is so vital and often so difficult. Even with Amazon.com’s third party vendors, books can be expensive! On this page we will list the various places where inmates can write to get books sent to them for free (including Wiccan and occult books).
Note that many of these services only serve inmates in specific states, so we have noted that if it is the case. We will list websites here, and street addresses below.
- Asheville Prison Books Program Serves NC, SC
- Athens Books to Prisoners Serves OH
- Appalachian Prison Book Project Serves KY, MD, OH, TN, VA, WV
- Big House Books Serves Mississippi only
- Books for Prisoners Serves all US states except MA
- Books Through Bars, Philadelphia Serves PA, NJ, NY, DE, MD, VA, and WV
- Books to Prisoners Serves all US states except CA and MA
- Chicago Books to Women in Prison Serves AZ, CA, CT, FL, IL, IN, KY, MS, MO, and OH
- DC Books to Prisons Project Program Serves all US States except New England, IL, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, WA, WI
- Inside Books Serves TX only
- Ithaca College Books Thru Bars Serves NY
- LGBT Books to Prisoners Serves LGBTQ prisoners in all states except TX
- Liberation Library Serves youth in 3 facilities in IL (Kewanee, Perre Marquette, and Harrisburg)
- Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners Program Serves AL, AR, LA, MS. Women and LA prisoners are prioritized
- Louisville Books to Prisoners Program Serves KY state and federal facilities
- Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project Program Serves AR, IN, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, NE, ND, OH, OK, SD, TN, and WI
- NYC Books Through Bars Program Serves all US states except AL, FL, LA, MA, MI, MS, NC, OH, and PA with a priority on NY
- Olympia Books to Prisoners Program Serves all US states
- Open Books Prison Book Project Program Serves FL only
- Portland Books to Prisoners Program Serves all US states except MA
- Prison Book Program Serves all US states except CA, IL, MI, MD, NV, and TX
- Prison Books Collective Program Serves AL and NC
- Prison Library Project Program Serves all US states except MA
- Prisoners Literature Project Program Serves all US states except TX
- Providence Books Through Bars Program Serves all US states EXCEPT AL, AR, FL, IL, KY, LA, MA, ME, MS, NY, NC, OH, PA, SC, WA, WI
- Read Between The Bars Program Serves AZ only
- Reading Reduces Recidivism Program Serves prison libraries in IL, does not send books to prisoners directly
- Urbana-Champaign Books to Prisoners Project Program Serves IL
- Unitarian Universalist Ann Arbor Prison Books Program Serves select MI institutions only
- Wisconsin Books to Prisoners Program Serves WI only
- Women’s Prison Book Project Program Serves all US states except CT, FL, IL, IN, MA, MI, MS, OH, OR, and PA
Books to Prisoners Projects – Street Addresses
Books For Prisoners
c/o Groundwork Books
323 UCSD Student Center
La Jolla CA 92037
Groundwork Books offers up to one book per person, free of charge. Subjects include politics, spirituality, feminism, dictionaries, culture, social criticism, and select novels. Stamp donations are appreciated but not required.
Books Through Bars
4722 Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Request books by topic and specific subject areas. Very limited legal books. Donations, including stamps, are greatly appreciated. Allow 3 to 4 months for delivery.
Books Through Bars–Ithaca
C/O Autumn Leaves Bookstore
115 The Commons, 2nd Floor
Ithaca NY 14850
An all-volunteer operated, community-based organization that sends books.
Book Through Bars–NYC
c/o Bluestockings Bookstore
172 Allen Street
NY, NY 10002
Ships to prisoners nationwide. Mostly history and political books, sometimes fiction and educational. Donations of stamps and money appreciated, make out to ABC No Rio.
Books To Prisoners
c/o Left Bank Books
92 Pike Street, Box A
Seattle Washington, 98101
Does not ship to prisons that require all books sent to be new. May take up to 6 months.
DC Prison Book Project
c/o Quixote Center
P.O. Box 5243
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Sends donated reading material to prisoners and educates the public about prisoner education issues. Two books per request. Takes about 3 months to respond.
Gainesville Books for Prisoners
P.O. Box 12164
Gainesville, GFL 32604
Serves prisoners nationwide. Accepts requests by topic of interest only.
Prisoner Literature Project
C/O Bound Together Books
1369 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
You may request types of books, but not specific titles. Stamps or donations are greatly appreciated but are not required. The main types of books usually requested are dictionaries, ethnic studies, and basic educational books.
Prison Library Project
915 C West Foothill Blvd. PMB 128
Claremont, CA 91711
Offers books on self-help, personal and spiritual growth, wellness, and metaphysical books. No law books, technical or GED, and no catalog.
Book ‘Em
5125 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Free books to prisoners in solitary confinement or who are Native American. Request by subject.
Tranzmission Prison Project
P.O. Box 1874
Ashville, NC 28802
Primarily an LGBTQ organization, they send out all types of books including Wiccan books to inmates in all states.
Open Books Prison Book Program
1040 N. Guillemard St.
Pensecola, FL 32501
Serves Florida inmates only, and provides all types of books, which can be requested by subject.
Temple of the Universe
15808 N.W. 90th St.
Alachua, FL 32615
Serves only Florida inmates. Request by subject or specific book; primarily metaphysical books, and will send Wiccan/Pagan books.
Prison Book Program
c/o Lucy Parson’s Bookstore
1306 Hancock St., Suite 100
Quincy, MA 02169
Serves states in the Eastern US. Request books by subject.
