The Challenge Continues: Prison Librarianship in the 1980s.

This article examines the role and the problems surrounding prison libraries in the U.S. during the 1980s. Since 1970, prisoners have been provided with books and libraries, staffed with professional librarians, have been in prisons since the beginning of this century. Prison libraries have developed in parallel to all other types of libraries and have also evolved with changes in correctional philosophy and procedures. Defining the role of libraries within such an ill-defined establishment is in itself a problem. The assumption underlying the establishment of prison libraries is that the prison's purpose is to rehabilitate and prepare the prisoners for return to society. However, the aims of imprisonment are clearly under discussion and revision in relation to the administration of prison library. The goals stated by each prison administration must be used as a basis for the decision making of prison librarians. The predominant model for prison libraries has been based on the public library. Since the prison library is the only information resource that inmates have access to, it must attempt to meet all the needs of its clients by broadening its focus. Faced with limited funds and few supplemental resources for materials, prison libraries have often been unsuccessful in accomplishing this task.