Prison Books Collective

We provide literature and resources to incarcerated people, free of charge, to support them as they navigate the violent and alienating American carceral system. The materials we send encourage knowledge-gathering and community-building across walls designed to keep people apart. We remember those kept out of sight and extend humanity to the dehumanized. Our recipients are people in jails and prisons in North Carolina and Alabama. While we focus mainly on male prisoners, the NC Women’s Prison Book Project serves women incarcerated in NC. In addition to sending books, we have an extensive catalog of zines that we mail across the country, which range from political to educational, artistic to self-help. We also publish Words of Fire, a semi-regular collection of art, short stories, essays, and poetry by incarcerated people. If you know someone in prison who would be interested in receiving free books or resources, please share our flyer with them and ask them to send us a letter at PO Box 625, Carrboro, NC 27510.