Asheville Prison Books Program
Asheville Prison Books Program[1] "is a volunteer-run collective which has distributed free literature to people incarcerted [sic] in the southeast since 1999." They "currently distribute books to North and South Carolina." Their goal is to ultimately abolish prisons.[2]
They are associated with the Austin Anarchist Black Cross,[3] and reference ShadowProof, the Abolitionist Law Center, the Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons, and the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee on their website.[4]
'unjust social and economic order based in large part on white supremacy'
- "We send books to folks who are locked up because it is one of the best ways we have found to reach through the bars and show solidarity with the people trapped behind them. As a project rooted in anti-authoritarian politics, Prison Books rejects the idea that incarcerated people are the enemy, and instead identifies prison itself as the enemy. Prison is a tool the State uses to uphold an unjust social and economic order based in large part on white supremacy; as such, we feel that finding ways to connect with, humanize and meet the every day needs of incarcerated people is a crucial part of challenging the existence and legitimacy of this repressive institution."
BookRiot Recommendation
Asheville Prison Books Program was listed as a resource for people to donate their books to prisons from the website BookRiot. The author recommends donating LGBTQ books, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and "Books on social movements and liberation struggles" among others. The author discourages donating "Religious paraphernalia."[5]
Organizations listed:
- Appalachian Prison Book Project (VA, WV, MD, OH, TN,KY)
- Asheville Prison Books Program (NC)
- Athens Books to Prisoners (OH)
- Beehive Books Behind Bars (UT)
- Books 2 Prisoners (IL)
- Books Behind Bars (AL)
- Books Between the Bars (TX)
- Book ‘Em (PA)
- Books for Prisoners (CA)
- Books Through Bars (PA)
- Books to Prisoners (WA)
- Chicago Books to Women in Prison (IL)
- DC Books to Prisons (DC)
- Colorado Libraries
- Inside Books Project (TX)
- Ithaca College Books Thru Bars (NY)
- LGBT Books to Prisoners (WI)
- Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners (LA)
- Maoist Internationalist Movement’s Free Political Books to Prisoners (IL)
- Midwest Pages to Prisoners Project (IN)
- NYC Books Through Bars (NY)
- Olympia Books to Prisoners (WA)
- Open Books (FL)
- Prison Books Collective (NC)
- Providence Books Through Bars (RI)
- Prison Book Program (MA)
- Prison Library Project (CA)
- Prisoners Literature Project (CA)
- Read Between The Bars (AZ)
- Women’s Prison Book Project (MN)