Blog

Left Bank Books is Doing an Archive Project!

Books to Prisoners was one of the first projects the collective that established Left Bank Books undertook after it opened the bookstore in 1973. The following text is reproduced from the flyer-like graphic announcement above. "We" in this case means Left Bank Books. A couple of Left Bank Books collective members are creating a small … Continue reading Left Bank Books is Doing an Archive Project!

How the pandemic changed the volunteer experience at Books to Prisoners

Seattle Now is a weekday podcast produced by public radio station KUOW. Beginning at six minutes, board member Andy Chan describes how we adapted to quarantine. Volunteers from Real Change and The Museum of Flight are interviewed as well. This 15-minute program begins with a round-up of efforts to protest and prevent deaths of people … Continue reading How the pandemic changed the volunteer experience at Books to Prisoners

Meet Rocky, Volunteer of the Month for February 2023

What got you interested in BTP to begin with, or what made you start volunteering? Does it tie into the rest of your life in any meaningful way? I’ve always loved to read and have been involved in other literary and book-related organizations in the past. As for BTP specifically, I discovered the organization by … Continue reading Meet Rocky, Volunteer of the Month for February 2023

Texas DCJ censors the truth of trauma survivors

"On the heels of great work by @MarshallProj showing TX prisons ban thousands of books, we've just received a rejection from TX DCJ for Tiny Beautiful Things by @CherylStrayed. This, too, is a censorship trend: prisons conflate 'sexual content' with advice about handling trauma." -- https://twitter.com/B2PSeattle/status/1613622189332303881 On the heels of great work by The Marshall … Continue reading Texas DCJ censors the truth of trauma survivors

Meet Anjali, Volunteer of the Month for January 2023

"Anjali is the kind of young person we love to see taking an interest in literacy and reading in prison. Her stick-to-it-iveness is truly impressive," according to BTP board member Andy. She began volunteering with us in June. What got you interested in BTP to begin with, or what made you start volunteering? Does it … Continue reading Meet Anjali, Volunteer of the Month for January 2023

Meet Sydney, Volunteer of the Month, December 2022

Sydney began volunteering with Books to Prisoners in June. She comes in several times a month to wrap packages of books prisoners have requested. “Very focused, but really pleasant to be around”, according to BtP board member Andy, who often hosts the Tuesday night volunteer shift. Sydney has offered to use her experience applying for … Continue reading Meet Sydney, Volunteer of the Month, December 2022