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See what 3Rs has been up to!  Orphans Treasure Box donates books to 3Rs! Pictured are 3Rs volunteer, Helena (left) and ReStart Director, Elisabeth.  3Rs Volunteer Carol Gloor (left) delivers 7 boxes of books to Christy Coulter, the librarian at Kewanee Life Skills Re-entry Center.
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In discussion with Diana, the Director of the Carbondale Public Library, who has been instrumental in coordinating our 3Rs Chapter, decided that transporting leftover books from other public libraries to Carbondale for storage (and subsequent pick up) was not feasible. Diana will use an existing listserv to invite other public libraries in the Carbondale area to participate in offering books to prison libraries. She plans to create a separate listserv, so that public libraries can invite prison librarians to visit to choose leftovers from their book sales. Sallie Logan Library in Murphysboro has already done this. The list will be updated as correctional staff turnover.
 Carol Gloor of the Savanna 3Rs chapter delivered about a dozen boxes of books to Matt Versluis of East Moline CC.
To First Christian Church of Carbondale,
The 3R’s (Reading Reduces Recidivism) Project wishes to thank the members and friends of First Christian Church in Carbondale for their consistent concern for incarcerated persons. Your frequent book donations and the use of the annex storage room have been an invaluable source of support for the 3Rs Project. The 3Rs Project of supplying free books to southern Illinois correctional centers continues through the participation of the Carbondale Public Library, Sallie Logan Public Library in Murphysboro, and Wild Thyme book store in Carbondale. If you wish to make future donations of books to the 3R’s Project, please bring them to these locations. Although your donated books will not be set aside specifically for 3Rs, any books chosen by correctional center staff at these locations will be made available at no charge. With Gratitude, MJ Smerken, 3Rs volunteer Book Donations:
There is no space set aside specifically for 3Rs book donations in Jackson County. Prison librarians shop from local public libraries in Murphysboro, Carbondale, and elsewhere after library book sales. The Carbondale Public Library has 7 rooms full of organized books. There are nearly 100,000 books for prison librarians to choose from after a book sale. Unlike most public libraries, the Carbondale Public Library accepts donated books year-round. Donated books in good condition may be (occasionally) added to the public library's collection, but most will go to the library's Friends group. They'll go through one book sale, to give the Friends a chance to earn money for the library. Then prison libraries (and sometimes charitable organizations) will have a chance to take what they need at no charge. Public Library Contacts: Carbondale Public Library: Library Director Diana Brawley Sussman, 618-457-0354, ext. 9, dbrawley@carbondale.lib.il.us Sallie Logan Public Library in Murphysboro: Library Director Loretta Broomfield, 618-684-3271, Loretta.sallielogan@gmail.com Local independent book store: Prison libraries may also acquire a limited number of free books from Wild Thyme Books, an independent book store at 705 W. Main St. in Carbondale. Contact book store owner Lori Sailiata directly to make arrangements at 618-713-8790, wildthymebooks@gmail.com Website: wildthymebooks.com Article - How Volunteers Help Improve the Quality of Life for Women in Prison Through Books9/10/2018 WTTW recently featured an article about the organization Chicago Books to Women in Prison. Read it here.
3Rs received a large donation of books from the Democratic Socialists chapter in the Springfield area. After a targeted summer book drive members were able to deliver over 50 boxes of books to 3Rs storage Saturday, August 18. Books will be selected for transfer to prison libraries by librarians at a pick up this fall. Thank you DSA for your help in replenishing prison lending libraries in Illinois. Books change lives!  Article of Interest
Illinois Prison System Spent Less Than $300 On Books Last Year - WILL, 4/16/18 - This article outlines how our state prisons are reliant on volunteer groups like 3Rs for reading materials, as there is no designated funding for them. Carbondale Chapter The Carbondale 3Rs chapter continues to thrive. Carbondale Public Library (CPL) holds a Spring and Fall book sale each year, and invites prison librarians/staff to choose free books after these sales. CPL provides free books throughout the year upon individual correction librarians' requests for books. Murphysboro Sallie Logan Library holds 3 book sales a year, and also invites prison librarians/staff to choose free books after these sales. A staff member from the Murphysboro Re-entry Center received 17 boxes of free books after one such sale.Prison librarians were also invited in June, 2018 by the retiring owners of the used book store in Carbondale, Bookworm, to choose free books. They had been very supportive of the Carbondale 3R's Project in the past. News & Brews - Riggs Beer Company 3Rs member Barbara Kessel and 3Rs advocate Michael O'Connor will serve as panelists to discuss Books in Prisons: Why So Complicated? The discussion will take place Tuesday, July 24th. News & Brews is presented by Illinois Newsroom and WILL. More information can be found here: http://www.riggsbeer.com/index.php/event/news-brews-2/2018-07-24/ The following is a letter of gratitude sent to 3Rs by a prisoner who calls himself a bookworm – “Having the privilege to go to the [prison] library and put my nose in a good book and get lost in a story in another reality than the one I am stuck in, to flip through the pages of an educational book and sharpen my mind wouldn’t be possible without foundations and people such as yourselves. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to say thank you.”
In February and March, 2018, the Carbondale 3Rs Project provided free books and magazines to the following Correctional Centers: Big Muddy River, Vandalia, Vienna, Pinckneyville, and the Harrisburg Youth Center. The 3Rs Project was also instrumental in providing the majority of books and magazines for the new library at the Murphysboro Re-entry Center. Many thanks go to volunteer workers and Sallie Logan Public Library in Murphysboro and the Carbondale Public Library staff, who ensure the Carbondale 3Rs Project continues. Recently, the Carbondale 3Rs chapter delivered 30 boxes of books to the soon to be opened correctional facility in Murphysboro. Marilyn Smerken kindly donated about 20 boxes of books from her own personal collection. They also had a new volunteer, Ashley, who found 3Rs through the Mormon volunteer web site. She was very helpful in loading boxes and checking books.
Two local public libraries, Murphysboro and Carbondale, will be offering free books to prison librarians in the next few weeks. |
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