Feature: ESTABLISHING A PRISON LIBRARY

BY Nkechinyere Nwoji

 

My first visit to the prison was in my undergraduate days as a student of Library studies/sociology. Sociology was my minor and we were expected to visit a prison so my department organized a visit to Enugu Prison.

I went to the prison for the second time, as a staff with ZODML, I was asked to establish a library after we noticed  the interest inmates  took in reading when ZODML ran a mobile library services every forth night with a branded ZODML bus for one year at Ikoyi Prison.

 Prison libraries are established with the approval of the Nigerian Prison Services.

Books for the library are sourced through purchase, donations from Individuals and organizations that partner with us in our prison project such as Public Affairs Section of U.S Embassy. Materials selected are bestsellers, Inspirational,motivational and textbooks for inmates’ course study.

After establishing the library, inmates are trained on how to charge material which is a process of borrowing books out and getting them back to the library.

REACTION OF INMATES:  Overall inmates were happy and asked for more

REACTION FROM PRISON AUTHORITY: The prison authority expressed appreciation to ZODML for creating reading culture among inmates.

FOR ME: Establishment of a prison library gives me great joy and I wish I had the opportunity to take it to more prisons across the country

So far ZODML has established libraries in IkoyiPriosn, Kirikiri Medium Prison and KirikiriMaximium Prison

-Miss Nwoji, a Librarian, Works in Lagos