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Do you know an incarcerated person who might like some free books?

Many prisons have "approved vendor” policies. To send an incarcerated person a book, you must be on their approved list. Books To Prisoners is an approved vendor at most prisons. However, a handful of prisons do not consider BTP an approved vendor. Please check the list of prisons at the bottom of the page to make sure you are only requesting for people located in facilities we have access to. Due to the extensive number of county jails in the country we are unable to provide a list of county jails we cannot serve. 

 

Our library is primarily donated material, we likely won't have an exact match for specific titles that are requested. Please include a couple genres or topics that would be acceptable, in addition to any more specific asks. Requests without enough information or options will be supplemented with poetry and short stories.

 

Please place requests only for yourself (if you are incarcerated), or on behalf of people that you personally know or have contact with. If you are requesting for someone else, you must have their permission. We ask that you submit requests that accurately reflect that person's interests rather than what you want them to read. We are able to send someone books once every three months, so please space out your requests accordingly. 

 

BTP keeps up with the restrictions at each prison and will do our best to get a package to your person in a timely manner. Due to prison restrictions, there are some things we are not allowed to send:

  • Instructions on how to fight, make or use weapons, or incite violence

  • Instructions on how to make or use drugs or alcohol

  • Maps of the state someone is incarcerated in and the surrounding states

  • Nudity

  • Spiral bindings or books with string, posters, or pockets

 

Due to safety concerns, we will not send any LGBTQ+ materials through the online order form. If you know someone who would like these materials, please have them send their request directly to us.

 

Books to Prisoners

c/o  Left Bank Books

92 Pike Street. Box A

Seattle WA 98101

 

Anyone who is incarcerated in the US may send us a request to the above address. We accept book requests only by letter or through this online form. Please do not call or email us to place a book request.

Multi-line address
Request Ideas:

NONFICTION
Dictionary / Thesaurus / Writing / Grammar / Foreign Language / GED / Standardized test review / Science / Math / History / Reentry / Business / Trade/technical skills / Legal materials / Criminal justice / Social Justice / Politics / Biography / Gender studies / Psychology / Philosophy / Ethnic studies 

FICTION
Classics / Literary fiction / Romance / Black authors / Urban Fiction / Fantasy / Thriller / Mystery / Western / Horror / Christian / Historical fiction / Native-American authors / Science Fiction / Graphic novels / Comics / Short Stories / Plays / Poetry / Humor / Young Adult

ACTIVITIES
Crossword / Word search / Coloring books / Cooking / Arts / Crafts / Puzzle books / Sudoku / Self-help / Religion / Gardening / Magazines / Composition notebook
 
The following are prisons we are NOT able to send to currently (listed updated 9/1/26):
 

Federal Prisons:

  • Allenwood Federal Correctional Center

  • Canaan United States Prison

  • Fort Worth Federal Medical Center

  • Jesup Federal Correctional Institution

  • McCreary United States Prison

  • McKean Federal Correctional Institution

  • Ray Brook Federal Correctional Institution

  • Sea Tac Federal Detention Center

  • Thomson Federal Correctional Institution

  • Victorville Federal Correctional Center

Alabama State Prisons:

  • Bibb Correctional Facility

  • Easterling Correctional Facility

  • Kilby Correctional Facility

Arkansas State Prisons:

  • Benny Magness Unit

  • McPherson Unit

  • Ouachita River Correctional Unit

  • Wrightsville Unit

Colorado State Prisons:

  • Crowley County Correctional Facility

Georgia State Prisons:

  • Arrendale State Prison

  • Coastal State Prison

  • Emanuel Women’s Facility

  • Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison

  • Rutledge State Prison

  • Smith State Prison

  • Valdosta State Prison and Annex

Idaho State Prisons:

  • Idaho Correctional Institution

  • Idaho Maximum Security Institution

  • Idaho State Correctional Institution

  • South Idaho Correctional Institution

Indiana State Prisons:

  • Rockville Correctional Facility

Iowa State Prisons:

  • Iowa State Penitentiary

Kansas State Prisons:

  • El Dorado Correctional Facility

  • Ellsworth Correctional Facility

  • Hutchinson Correctional Facility

  • Lansing Correctional Facility

  • Wichita Work Release Facility

  • Winfield Correctional Facility

Kentucky State Prisons:

  • Northpoint Training Center

Louisiana State Prisons:

  • Allen Correctional Facility

  • Raymond Laborde Correctional Facility

Maine State Prisons:

  • Maine Correctional Center

  • Maine State Prison

  • Mountainview Correctional Facility

Maryland State Prisons:

  • Chesapeake Detention Facility

  • Maryland Reception, Diagnostic and Classification Center

Michigan State Prisons:

  • Alger Correctional Facility

  • Baraga Correctional Facility

  • Cooper Street Correctional Facility

  • Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility

  • Gus Harrison Correctional Facility

  • Ionia Correctional Facility

  • Macomb Correctional Facility
    Marquette Correctional Facility

  • Oaks Correctional Facility

  • Saginaw Correctional Facility

  • St. Louis Correctional Facility

  • Thumb Correctional Facility

  • Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility

Missouri State Prisons:

  • Farmington Correctional Center

  • Missouri Eastern Correctional Center

  • Moberly Correctional Center

  • Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center

Nebraska State Prisons:

  • Nebraska State Penitentiary

New Mexico State Prisons:

  • Central New Mexico Correctional Facility

  • Northeast New Mexico Correctional Facility

  • Penitentiary of New Mexico

  • Western New Mexico Correctional Facility

North Carolina State Prisons:

  • Harnett Correctional Institution

  • Mountainview Correctional Institution

  • North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women

Ohio State Prisons:

  • Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution

  • Great Plains Correctional Center

  • Marion Correctional Institution

  • Northeast Reintegration Center

  • Ohio Reformatory for Women

Oregon State Prisons:

  • Oregon State Penitentiary

South Dakota State Prisons:

  • South Dakota State Penitentiary

Tennessee State Prisons:

  • Mark Luttrell Transition Center

  • Northwest Correctional Center

  • Riverbend Maximum Security Institution

  • South Central Correctional Facility

  • Trousdale Turner Correctional Center

  • Turney Center Industrial Complex

  • West Tennessee State Penitentiary

Texas State Prisons:

  • Bell Unit

  • Hutchins Unit

Utah State Prisons:

  • Central Utah Correctional Facility

Vermont State Prisons:

  • Northern State Correctional Facility

West Virginia State Prisons:

  • North Central Regional Jail and Correctional Facility

Wisconsin State Prisons:

  • Green Bay Correctional Institution

  • Oakhill Correctional Institution

  • Stanley Correctional Institution

  • Waupun Correctional Institution

  • Winnebago Correctional Center

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