Read Between the Bars

We had a great time with on Friday writing notes and thoughts of support to our community members in Arizona prisons for the holiday season. It is always a great event that is a great start to celebrating gratitude, generosity and connections for this time of year.

Unfortunately we learned about a new policy from AZ Dept of Corrections that will restrict general mail starting next week. While Read Between the Bars won't be impacted at the moment, this is the start of a restriction on outside communications that keep people connected, which aids in reducing recidivism and crime.

We are still learning about the impacts of this, so stay tuned for next steps.

Stop by and see us, we'll be there!!

⛄TOMORROW! Let's get festive! Can't wait to see you all at the YWCA at 525 N Bonita Ave in Tucson. Dress warmly--the event is outside in the courtyard. Big ups to our awesome cosponsors:




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Don't forget your donation of non-perishable food or warm clothing for Q***r Girls Pantry for Kids!

Read Between the Bars urges the Marana City Council to reject the proposal from private prison profiteer Management and Training Corporation to make a closed state prison into an ICE detention center.

Send a message to learn more

"Let’s come together to write heartfelt cards of care and connection for people in Arizona jails and prisons. 💌 Your words can bring warmth and hope to someone who needs it most this season."

🎉✨ It’s that time again! Join us for JCA’s Annual Holiday Card Party! 🥳📬

🗓 Thursday, December 5th at 5:30 PM
📍 YWCA of Southern AZ — 525 N. Bonita Ave., Tucson, AZ

Let’s come together to write heartfelt cards of care and connection for people in Arizona jails and prisons. 💌 Your words can bring warmth and hope to someone who needs it most this season. ❤️

✨ Please bring a donation of non-perishable food or warm clothing if you can.
🎶 Enjoy music, food, hot cocoa, and community!

Let’s fill this season with love, solidarity, and joy. 🌟
See you there!

A huge THANK YOU to all our volunteers who showed up with strength and good spirits this weekend to help Read Between the Bars move into our new (temporary) library!

We could not have done this without you all showing up and supporting our work. We so appreciate our Tucson community 🤗

Stay tuned for updates for our next packing parties! If you want information be sure you're on our mailing list -- join here: https://www.readbetweenthebars.org/get-involved

We are sad to share that there will be NO PACKING PARTIES until further notice.

During severe weather last month, our host's home was damaged by a tree falling in her yard. Luckily no one was injured and the damage to the house is moderate, but she'll need to use the guest house/ library where we host packing parties for several months while her home is repaired. As such, packing parties are on hold until further notice.

We will provide an update on or around the first of December, letting you know how things are going then.

Thank you for your continued support of our shared mission to provide books to people who are incarcerated in Arizona.

Today we received two boxes of donated books at our PO box. 😀
There was no note and no return address. 🤔
We could not use a single one as most of them were hardbound. Many were damaged, a few were for juveniles, and almost all of them were written in or on. 😑
Sadly, we have no way to contact the donor to thank them for their effort and to explain our limitations. 😭

Send a message to learn more

You have questions? We have answers!

HOW CAN SOMEONE IN PRISON REQUEST BOOKS?

WHAT KINDS OF BOOKS DO PEOPLE ASK FOR?
All kinds of books. We find that with a few exceptions, the reading interests of folks in prison mimic those of the general public. Dictionaries are our most popular request – by far. Other popular titles include thesauruses, small business startup, drawing and art, manga, exercise, fiction of all kinds, and much more. Please note, we cannot send any books with any nudity of any kind, whatsoever, including art or cartoon nudity.

WHY ARE DICTIONARIES SO POPULAR IN PRISON?
People in prison use them for various reasons – writing letters to family, writing legal appeals, or just trying to understand unfamiliar words in the other books we send. Many people enter prison with limited reading skills and use their time to change that.

WHAT KINDS OF BOOKS DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE?
Our selection of books depends on what people donate. Fiction and non-fiction topics available vary widely.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC TITLES THAT YOU CANNOT SEND?
Although we do not have an official “banned” books list, we do not send books that include nudity, gang-related topics, true crime, Nazi-related subjects, white supremacy, misogynistic, racist, or discriminatory literature. We also cannot send any books that are frayed, stained, water-damaged, falling apart, written in, hardcover, or spiral-bound.
WHERE DO YOU GET THE BOOKS YOU SEND TO PRISONERS?
Nearly all our books are donated by individuals just like you. Occasionally, publishers and authors donate extra copies of their books. Periodically, we trade donated books we cannot use or that are not often requested at a local used book exchange.

It’s very exciting to have the book donation bin operational again after the Poetry Center’s long summer closure.
Thank you for all of your book donations!!!

Our book donation bin is open for business!
Although the Poetry Center still has some construction going on, they are open and our bin is back in place inside the front door.

If you need review our book acceptance policy, check out the info on our website at :
https://www.readbetweenthebars.org/get-involved

Donation drop off at the UA Poetry center will not be available until after August 4th.

Read Between the Bar cannot accept book donations until after renovations are complete.

Please donate your books to other local nonprofita at this time, such as or !