Appalachian Prison Book Project (APBP)
@appalachianpbp.bsky.social
We send free books and provide educational opportunities to people incarcerated in Appalachia. 📖 https://appalachianprisonbookproject.org
Some good news: Arkansas reversed a proposed ban on books in prison! Read the story:
Arkansas corrections department abandons restrictions on physical books, newspapers | Arkansas Advocate
The Arkansas Department of Corrections will shift its focus away from creating a policy restricting access to physical books in an effort to prevent illegal drugs from entering prisons, officials told...
arkansasadvocate.com
Morgantown, WV folks: If you enjoy reading handwritten letters, searching through shelves for just the right book, or wrapping gifts, we have just the thing for you. Come volunteer with us! Sign up for a training session to get started: appalachianprisonbookproject.org/get-involved...
Leaving prison is often a complex and difficult process—emotionally, logistically, and financially. In this piece from @themarshallproject.org, incarcerated folks share how they are preparing themselves for the transition:
How to Prepare for a Release Date From Prison
Leaving prison can be logistically, financially and emotionally complicated. Incarcerated readers share ways they’re preparing themselves.
themarshallproject.org
The carceral system is a black box, making it hard for students & teachers interested in the criminal legal system to study what’s happening inside the walls of prisons and jails. 📚 This back-to-school season, we put together some resources to fix that:
Mass Incarceration 101: Resources to help students and teachers understand the carceral system
It’s back to school season, so we’ve curated information and tools for students and teachers to use when researching the carceral system.
prisonpolicy.org
For Labor Day, we asked three PJP contributors to write about their jobs in an overlooked sector of the U.S. workforce. Here is what they said.
On Working Behind Bars
For the majority of people behind bars, working a job is not optional. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime. In fact, more than 75% of inc...
prisonjournalismproject.org
For the curious, here are some stats from August 2026: Total books logged: 266 Top state: Virginia (120 books) Top genre: Reference (39 books) Book highlight: "Dungeon Crawler Carl" by Matt Dinniman, sent to Colin in Virginia
Attention Morgantown, WV folks: Mark your calendars for our September wrapping party! Join APBP next Wednesday, September 9, to help us send books to people incarcerated in Appalachia. Stop by anytime between 6:00 and 8:00 pm. New and experienced volunteers welcome.
Fall volunteer training sessions are now live! 📚 If you've been thinking about volunteering with APBP, now's your chance. Sign up for a slot and get ready to learn everything you need to know about joining our team: appalachianprisonbookproject.org/get-involved...
Volunteer | Appalachian Prison Book Project
At APBP, we rely on the hard work of our volunteers. Visit this page to learn how you can start volunteering with APBP today.
appalachianprisonbookproject.org
Happy #NationalBookLoversDay! Let’s be honest: Every day around here is a day for book lovers. Have you seen our office? It has the best vibes around. 📚
Tens of thousands of Virginians have had their voting rights restored thanks to a move from Gov. Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger announced that her office has restored voting rights for more than 66,000 people who have served their punishments after being charged with crimes.
Mark your calendar for our August community wrapping party! Join us on Wednesday, August 12. We'll be at Ascend WV from 6:00 to 8:00 pm reading books, wrapping packages, and sharing books with incarcerated folks across Appalachia. ✉️📖📦 New and experienced volunteers welcome.
Reminder: Applications for the 2026-2027 Darrin Lester Scholarship are due this Friday, July 17! 🎓 Learn more: appalachianprisonbookproject.org/what-we-do/e...
70% of parents in state prison keep in touch with their kids via mail. This outrageous hike in stamp prices will hit them hard — especially considering they are often paid pennies per hour (or LESS) for work behind bars.
USPS to raise the price of a Forever stamp to 82 cents on Sunday. Here's what to know.
The cost of a first-class Forever stamp has climbed 41% since 2021, and postal officials have signaled they want prices to rise even more.
cbsnews.com
We received some lovely art from an incarcerated writer this week, along with a note: “I want to thank you so much for the books. It really means a lot and for y’all to do it for free it must take a lot of help. So here is something small to show you my thanks for everything y’all do.”
Our friends at the Inside Books Project, who serve incarcerated folks across Texas, are facing a state-wide ban on used books that is threatening operations. Learn about the policy that's making it more and more difficult to send books to people behind bars: www.texasobserver.org/prison-crack...
Throwing the Book at Books in Prison
Inside Books Project volunteers have sent used books to Texas inmates for nearly 30 years. A new crackdown is threatening their work.
texasobserver.org
For the curious, here are some stats from June 2026: Total books logged: 204 Top state: Virginia (77 books) Top genre: Religion/spirituality (32 books) Book highlight: "Beautiful Blooms: A Coloring Book of Flowers" by Chartwell Books, sent to Brenda in Virginia Thank you for your support!
"For many, the bells of freedom don’t ring. They clang shut with the sound of prison doors." The 'land of the free' turns 250 next week. Incarcerated people reflect on what that means to them 👇
Incarcerated Americans on the 250th Birthday of the United States — In Their Own Voices
The land of the free is also the land of mass incarceration. Hear from people inside on what this milestone means to them.
prisonjournalismproject.org
From an incarcerated reader in West Virginia: "I stayed up and read the book all night." As book lovers know, there's no higher compliment! 📖🫶
Applications for the 2026–2027 Darrin Lester Scholarship are due July 17! 🎓 We welcome qualified applicants to apply. Please share with your network! Get the details: appalachianprisonbookproject.org/what-we-do/e...
“No one in America was sentenced to die of heatstroke in a prison." As temperatures soar across the U.S., prisons become increasingly deadly. Must-read 👇
Scorching cells
How heat threatens lives in America’s prisons
reuters.com
Spending time in Morgantown, WV, this summer? We hope you’ll join us for our June community wrapping party! APBP will be set up at the Ascend WV office on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Stop by anytime. New and experienced volunteers welcome. 🎉 See you there!
For the curious, here are some stats from May 2026: Total books logged: 137 Top state: Virginia (57 books) Top genre: Reference (27 books) Book highlight: "Pocket Tai Chi" by Tri Thong Dang, sent to Christopher in Virginia Thank you to everyone for another great month! ❤️
Some truly spectacular envelope art from someone incarcerated in Tennessee. 🦋 🌺
Attention Morgantown, WV folks: Join us for our first-ever summer community wrapping party! ☀️ Beat the heat at the downtown Ascend WV office on Wednesday, June 17. We'll be wrapping books from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Stop by anytime. New and experienced volunteers welcome.
We have a tricky book request we’re trying to fill. 📚 Travis in Virginia wants to pursue a career as an electrician and would like to learn about electric codes. Can you help by donating a paperback book? Mailing info below. 👇
Such a cool use of pencil shading on this envelope art! Can you spot the sun’s rays through the clouds? ⛅️
What It Was Like When I Reffed a Prison Soccer Match
Rules Are Rules: My Experience as a Prison Soccer Referee
I thought the game might be gruesome. Turns out, it was just like any other amateur sport. Some people played well, others played sloppily. There was good sportsmanship.
prisonjournalismproject.org
From an incarcerated reader in WV: "Thank you for all that you do, you’re greatly appreciated by me and all of the people I kick it with in here. Bless you." Read more quotes from the letters people send us:
Voices from the Inside | Appalachian Prison Book Project
People behind bars are often silenced. At APBP, we're here to listen. Visit this page to read quotes and responses directly from incarcerated Appalachians.
appalachianprisonbookproject.org
Applications for the 2026–2027 Darrin Lester Scholarship are now open! Three $3,000 scholarships will be available for the 2026–2027 academic year. Applications are due July 17, 2026. Please share this opportunity with your network!
Darrin Lester Scholarship
The Darrin Lester Scholarship supports the educational goals of justice-impacted individuals in WV and southwestern PA. Learn how to apply.
appalachianprisonbookproject.org
