Donate your paperback books to the L.A. County jail’s library!
L.A. County incarcerates more people than anywhere else in the country. But the county doesn’t provide the jails with books. All the books are provided by volunteers. The presence of a library improves the environment and even reduces the rates of return for people leaving the jail. So donating books helps people leave jail for good!
Education is a human right!
Our book drive is September 10-24. Bring your books to one of the locations below and they’ll be processed through the LA County Library.
This effort was originally spearheaded by Ahmanise Sanati, @ahmanise on Instagram
Locations
Pasadena: Savvvy’s Cafe (box outside: come anytime!)
Montrose: Froyo Life
Glendale: Junior High LA
Burbank: Blvd Cafecito
Sierra Madre: Mother Moo Creamery
Eagle Rock: Native Boutique
Monrovia: Pacific Plate Brewery
Arcadia: Mr. Lowe Brewery
Thank you to our amazing, generous partners!
How it works
Getting rid of old paperback novels? Donate them!
Simply locate the closest donation box to you from our list above, then place them inside the box to await pick up. Feel free to support the local businesses that are hosting our donation boxes while you’re there!
At the end of our designated donation time, September 10-24, boxes will be picked up and transported to the LA County Library. The books will then be processed and divided among LA County Jails.
Reach out: BooksBehindBars2023@gmail.com
What is accepted :
- Paperback ONLY please
- Gently used books
- Fantasy and adventure novels are largely requested!
- How-to books
- Books in Spanish
- Self-help books
- Graphic/Illustrated Novels
- Magazines
What is not accepted :
- Books with explicit depictions of violence, crime, or sex
Why prisons?
Additional Reading
The right to read in prison:
https://ncac.org/news/books-behind-bars-the-right-to-read-in-prison
Or read some personal accounts here
Those in prison are often completely or mostly shut out from the rest of the world. Access to books is a simple yet effective way for these individuals to learn, stay occupied, find themselves, and reconnect the world beyond their cell walls.
LA county’s jail system is the largest in the world, with an average of 17,000 people incarcerated every year. Books play a huge part in building literacy rates among inmates while also leading to lower return rates. Yet, LA County doesn’t provide books-- the library relies on donations.
Most of all, those in jail are still human beings. They have a right to self-identity and self-respect. Donating is one easy way for us to help those incarcerated.
Learn More
The article that started it all: https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/la-jails-books-sheriff-los-angeles
Book Riots words of advice for donating to prisons:
https://bookriot.com/donate-books-prisons/
Most recent update to filling LA’s prison library efforts:
https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/la-county-sheriff-horvath-jails-los-angeles
NPR’s take on the situation:
Other books to prisoners programs:
https://prisonbookprogram.org/prisonbooknetwork/
https://libguides.ala.org/book-donations/bookstoprisons
Can‘t donate now? No problem! Drop off books anytime at an LA County Jail:
https://lacountylibrary.org/library-locator/
Reach out: BooksBehindBars2023@gmail.com