Our work emanates from two interconnected premises: education is a basic human right, and engaging the community in educational justice efforts is a requisite component to building sustainable restorative justice models.
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Appalachian Prison Book Project
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by Jordan Pugh
by Jordan Pugh
Appalachian Prison Book Project
Challenging mass incarceration through books, education, and community engagement.
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How to Volunteer with APBP: An Inside Look
Volunteers are a vital part of how we send books to people in prison. Learn more about what is looks like to volunteer with APBP.
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The Journey of a Book: What Happens to the Books We Mail to Incarcerated Readers
What happens to the books that we mail to incarcerated people? They are loved, cherished, shared, and read until they fall apart.
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A State-by-State Report: Letter Scanning Legislation in Appalachian Prisons and Jails
Across the United States, prisons and jails have passed legislation that replaces physical correspondence with digitally scanned or photocopied replicas.
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How Much Does It Cost to Read a Free Book on a Free Tablet?
Prisons and jails across the country have started offering “free” electronic tablets to people behind bars. But these devices contain hidden costs.
APBP sends free books and provides educational opportunities to people imprisoned in six Appalachian states (West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Maryland).
Our Impact
Since 2004, we have mailed over 70,000 books.
100 imprisoned people and 27 volunteers have participated in our book clubs.
30 incarcerated students have earned WVU college credit.
We’ve hosted 50+ wrapping parties for community volunteer groups.
But don’t just take it from us. Hear what our friends on the inside have to say about our work.
Recent Posts
Our Book, Their Stories: Notes from “This Book Is Free and Yours to Keep”
by Jordan Pugh Get an inside look at the making and impact of “This Book Is Free and Yours to Keep: Notes from the Appalachian Prison Book Project.”
20 Years of Books: The Story of the Appalachian Prison Book Project
by Jordan Pugh APBP was founded in 2004, and 20 years later, we continue to serve imprisoned people across Appalachia. Take a walk through history with us.
The Cost of Mailing Books: How to Raise Funds for APBP
Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to our goal of empowering incarcerated individuals through education and literature. Consider raising funds for APBP to help us continue this work.
I have passed the first book I received on to two others so far, and plan to do so until the cover falls off! (The library here can fix it up when I donate it.)
Thank you for providing books directly to prisoners free of charge. Yours is a great service, especially for those whose library’s collection is meager, outdated, or otherwise inadequate and who simply do not have the funds to buy books out of their own pockets.
In many ways this [book club] and your time/effort have been an emotional and intellectual lifeline for me.