It's been one year since we started working with the library staff at San Quentin to support their resource needs and project ideas. We really enjoy meeting with the staff once a month and they have great ideas.
 

In our first year we've:

• Added over 400 titles to the library collection

• Bought bulk copies of much needed reentry titles and board preparation titles, as well as Spanish GED books and legal books

• Supported the Literature Book Club in getting a dozen copies of each monthly book pick

• Added popular Role Playing Game books to the collection

• Purchased a couch for the patron area at the request of residents who said one thing they miss in prison is the chance to sit on a couch

• Acquired 50 literacy support books to help the Peer Literacy Mentoring Program at San Quentin

One of the best things we did this year was host a Kids Bookfair for Incarcerated Parents holiday event. We received a donation of like-new, gift-able kids books and our inmate advisory board developed a bookfair. At the event, San Quentin residents chose books to send to their kids and grandkids. We gave away 250 books and mailed out 98 packages to family members. We plan to turn this into a bi-annual literacy event with double the books, residents, and recipients. It was great to help residents pick out books, see them writing letters to their loved ones, and be excited to send books to their family members.
 

We've had a great first year and we have lots of ideas for the future.
Please support our work by telling your networks about us and having them follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
You can buy books from our wish lists at Copperfield's or Amazon.
Or you can donate money to our Flipcause account below.
Thanks for all your support this year,

Kristi Kenney,
librarians Gabriel and Aaron,

and advisory board members Matthew, Kai, and Tony

Friends of the San Quentin Library