A Powerful Look Inside… Books to Prisoners In Seattle

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Book to Prisoners

Books To Prisoners is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster a love of reading behind bars, encourage the pursuit of knowledge and self-empowerment, and break the cycle of recidivism. We believe that books are tools for learning and for opening minds to new ideas and possibilities. We engage incarcerated individuals with the benefits of reading by mailing tens of thousands of free books to people in prisons across the country each year. Their primary function is to send people in prison the books they need to spark or support their education, vocational training, self-discovery or love of reading. They receive approximately 1,000 requests for books each month and do their best to respond to every one. Books to Prisoners relies on books donated by community members like us to answer the thousands of book requests they receive. Check out their website how you can help them.

KB: Describe to the RSR readers when and by who Books to Prisoners was founded?

Legend has it that it started in 1973 by people who wanted to supply aid to folks they thought were political prisoners, people who soon after went on to found Left Bank Books, the famous anarchist book store in Seattle’s Pike Market. I was told this by one of LBB’s founders. There are equally plausible – if more prosaic – claims it started in 1979.

KB: What is your mission?

Our mission is to foster a love of reading behind bars, encourage the pursuit of knowledge and self-empowerment, and break the cycle of recidivism. We believe that books are tools for learning and for opening minds to new ideas and possibilities. We accomplish this by sending books, at no cost, to incarcerated people across the US.

KB: How many prisoners you send books to and where are they incarcerated?

We get about 1,000 to 1,200 requests a month from all over the US and territories.

KB: How do you know which books to send? Are they requested?

Yes, we respond to individual requests. They can be very general or super-specific. Prisoners, like people on the outside, have varied interests and tastes.

KB: How many books do you send on a monthly basis?

In 2025 we sent just over 19 tons in. We have had people deliver load to WA prisons but our primary mode is to create (brief) interactions. This helps support a secondary mission to show recipients – who have often burned bridges or been disowned – that there is someone on the outside who cares.

KB: What kind of books do you send out?

Whatever we have. The most popular item is a dictionary. Other highly-requested subjects are fantasy, sci-fi, how-to-draw, language-learning, horror, trades, history.

KB: Do you get letters from prisoners thanking you or to give you an update?

We do, but don’t generally encourage as we know stamps are precious. We actually published an illuminating book on the subject: “Dear Books to Prisoners” which is available for $30 on our website.

KB: Are there prisons who don’t allow books send to prisoners? I believe you are fighting this policy.

Many prisons have restrictions or outright bans. It’s head-spinning trying to keep on top of all the rules. Each state has its own regulations, layered on top of the latitude that prison Superintendents are given, layered on top of the rule-interpretation that mail room sergeants make. We address this where we can, but as a volunteer-driven organization we have to pick our fights.

Some articles about our fights were published in The Washington Post (January 12, 2022) and The Seathe Times (April 4, 2019).

KB: How can people help books to prisoners to keep going? Can they volunteer?

There is a core of about 10 people who work (mostly volunteers) behind the scenes to keep the organization humming, but in 2025 we had 360 unique volunteers, mostly answering letters, wrapping packages and re-stocking shelves. We take new volunteers who can commit at least 20 hrs over a year.

For more information and how you can help, please visit Books to Prisoners’ website: HERE

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