Press about BTP
See or hear something about us in the news? Let us know at bookstoprisoners@live.com.
2026
This nonprofit sends books to prisoners. Its Bellingham branch is seeking a new home, Cascadia Daily News, 2/24/26
2025
We Can't Forget People Experiencing Incarceration in Our Fight for Readers' Rights, Book Riot, 9/19/25
Prison Censorship in the USA: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Iowa, Die Kasserliste - a Database of Banned Books, 9/28/25
Reading behind bars: The fight for literacy, dignity and rehabilitation, The Front (Whatcom County WA), 10/8/25
Sending Books to Prisons, Publishers' Weekly, 11/14/25
Books Behind Bars, Navigating Trauma, and a Holiday check-in with the True Crime Tonight Team, True Crime Tonight Podcast, 12/23/25
2024
How Books Can Change a Life Behind Bars, Wiser Tomorrow Podcast, 8/8/24
2023
Michigan is Banning Inmates From Reading Totally Normal Books, Vice, 1/17/23
Interview with Andy Chan from Books to Prisoners, A Voice from Prison, 3/7/23
Literary group accuses Texas prisons of censoring books incarcerated people can receive, KERA News, 10/6/23
2022
Tennessee Prison Rejects Book Donations Because ‘Malcolm X Not Allowed’, Vice, 1/7/22
Malcolm X Biography Donation Rejected by Tennessee Prison, Book Riot, 1/7/22
Opinion: Prison systems insist on banning books by Black authors. It’s time to end the censorship, Written by BTP board members Andy Chan and Michelle Dillon, Washington Post, 1/12/22
Tennessee prisons ban Malcolm X, block subscription to the ‘Militant’, The Militant, 2/14/22
Incarcerated people have few ways to fight back against censorship in prisons, Prism Reports, 3/23/22
‘In prison, knowledge is power’ How publications are restricted in Indiana prisons, Indiana Daily Student, 3/27/22
The Cruel Practice of Banning Books Behind Bars, Vera, 4/4/22
Book bans in prison cut inmates' lifeline to outside world, NBC News, 5/23/22
2021
Iowa State Prisons Ban Family Members, Third Parties From Sending Books To Inmates, Iowa Public Radio, 4/29/21
Accessing Information While Incarcerated (feat. Michelle Dillon), Kouvenda Media Podcast, 9/23/21
2020
An Interview with Books to Prisoners, Seattle Arts and Lectures, 2/3/20
2019
Washington Prisoners May No Longer Be Able to Receive Donated Books, The Stranger, 4/1/19
Washington state prisons ban used book donations, KING5 (video, transcript), 4/1/19
Washington Department of Corrections Quietly Bans Book Donations to Prisoners From Nonprofits, Book Riot, 4/3/19
Officials quietly banned prisoners from receiving used books through the mail. Outcry is now drawing concern in Olympia, Seattle Times, 4/4/19
Washington DOC quietly bans prisoners from receiving used books, KIRO (video, transcript) 4/8/19
Washington prisons reverse ban on used book donations for inmates, KING5 (video, transcript), 4/10/19
Corrections officials’ claims of contraband in used books mailed to Washington inmates don’t add up, Seattle Times, 4/10/19
Washington corrections officials reverse ban, will allow prisoners to get used books in the mail, Yakima Herald-Republic, 4/10/19
Books to Prisoners: Action is Still Needed, Seattle Collegian, 5/5/19
RSO Huskies for Opportunities in Prison Education shows positive impact of education on incarcerated people through art exhibit, UW Daily, 6/3/19
2018
Spread the Word: Left Bank Books, UW Daily, 3/9/18
2017
Books are a lifeline to prisoners, Foreword (podcast), 6/6/17
2016
The banning of books in prisons: 'It's like living in the dark ages', The Guardian, 9/25/16
Eric's Heroes: Bringing books and hope to those behind prison walls, KOMO (video, transcript), 10/5/16
The Freedom of Reading, American Libraries, 10/31/16
2014
By refusing to accept used books, two state prisons block inmates preparing for life on the outside, Real Change, 7/30/14
Social Justice Film Festival kicks off at the ECC, UW Daily, 10/21/14
2013
Event Feature: When film gets reel, UW Daily 10/8/13
Prejean speaks out against death penalty in appearance, UW Daily, 10/14/13
2012
Listen Now: KBCS (podcast), transcript, 2/1/12
Short on Words, Real Change, 4/18/12
Reading Through a Whole Sentence, UW Daily, 7/11/12
More about why BTP matters in Part Two of the article, entitled “Brave New Worlds.” UW Daily, 7/18/12
Light a Fire Awards 2012: Seattle Met’s first annual celebration of individuals and organizations in the nonprofit community, Seattle Met, 10/12/12
2007
When Did Used Books Become Contraband? Seattle Weekly, 8/14/07
1997
Local group mails books to inmates, UW Daily, Nov 18, 1997