Current Projects
The Prison Library Project is always a work in progress, in the best way. We’re constantly learning, adapting, and finding new ways to get books and resources into the hands of people who need them most.
This page is where you’ll find a snapshot of what we’re working on right now. Some projects are well underway, like sending out book packages or putting together parenting and reentry guides. Others are just getting started, and we’re looking for funding and support to help bring them to life.
Help Build a Project - Donate • Volunteer • Share
We’re sharing it all here — what’s running, what’s new, and what we hope to build next — because we believe in staying open about our goals. If something here speaks to you, we’d love to hear from you.
Parenting Behind Bars
PROJECT STATUS: ONGOING
Being a parent in prison comes with challenges most people on the outside never have to think about.
Through this project, we’re helping incarcerated parents stay connected to their children by providing parenting guides, children’s books for visiting rooms, and resources that support healthy communication.
We’ve already sent hundreds of books to facilities around the country, helping people reconnect, even when distance and circumstance get in the way.
PROJECT NEEDS:
There are a few key ways you can support Parenting Behind Bars:
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Make a donation to help us cover postage and print materials
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Purchase books directly from our Bookshop.org list
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Know of a grant or funding opportunity? We’re always looking for partners who care about families and literacy. If you’re a funder or can point us in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
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Funders/Grant Inquires: rachel@claremontforum.org
Life After Lockup
PROJECT STATUS: ONGOING
Reentry is one of the hardest parts of incarceration, and too many people leave prison without the tools they need to start over. Life After Lockup is our ongoing effort to provide books and resources that support a successful return to society.
We focus on practical guides such as job training, small business basics, resume writing, and personal finance, and we send them directly to prisons that are building reentry libraries. With the help of donors, we’re working to make sure people have access to information that can help them build a stable future, even before they walk out the door.
PROJECT NEEDS:
There are a few key ways you can support Life After Lockup:
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Make a donation to help us cover postage and purchase books.
-
Purchase books directly from our Bookshop.org list
-
Know of a grant or funding opportunity? We’re always looking for partners who care about families and literacy. If you’re a funder or can point us in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
​
Funders/Grant Inquires: rachel@claremontforum.org
Contrabanned: Women's Health Resource Drive
PROJECT STATUS: ONGOING
This project began with a single goal: finding a way to get a much-needed women’s health resource past prison restrictions and into the hands of those who needed it. Since then, the Contrabanned Book Project has grown into an ongoing effort to send that book — along with other trusted materials on pregnancy, reproductive health, and trauma recovery — to incarcerated women and gender-nonconforming people across the country.
By sharing these resources, we’re working to close a critical gap in health education and ensure that information isn’t treated as contraband.
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Winner Ad Age 2025 Creativity Awards: Best Work for Good, Pro Bono/Nonprofit
PROJECT NEEDS:
There are a few key ways you can support Parenting Behind Bars:
-
Make a donation to help us cover postage and print materials
-
Purchase books directly from our Bookshop.org list
-
Know of a grant or funding opportunity? We’re always looking for partners who care about families and literacy. If you’re a funder or can point us in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
​
Funders/Grant Inquires: rachel@claremontforum.org
About the Projects
The Prison Library Project works to get the right books into the hands of incarcerated readers. These books support self-education, healing, and successful reentry. We focus on meeting some of the most pressing needs in the prison population, including parenting resources, health and wellness materials, and reentry guides.
We also provide legal guides, study aids, and other tools that help people take the next step forward. Spanish-language books are in high demand, and we are always looking to expand access.
If you are interested in supporting this work, please reach out. We welcome donations and partnerships.
The Carceral Library Health Program
PROJECT STATUS: LOOKING FOR GRANT PARTNERS
The Carceral Library Health Program is a collaborative initiative that delivers health education and support through correctional facility libraries. Designed to empower incarcerated individuals with knowledge and tools for personal well-being, the program focuses on high-impact, low-cost interventions—starting with smoking cessation and nutrition education.
By leveraging the unique accessibility and trust of prison libraries, the program provides evidence-based materials, peer educator training, and digital tools to promote informed health decisions and long-term behavior change. Libraries serve as neutral, stigma-free spaces where incarcerated individuals can engage voluntarily, increasing the likelihood of meaningful, sustained impact.
Led by the Claremont Forum’s Prison Library Project and the Cade Moore Foundation, the Carceral Library Health Program reflects a commitment to equity, public health, and literacy. It aims to reduce health disparities, support rehabilitation, and contribute to healthier outcomes for individuals, institutions, and the communities to which they return.
PROJECT NEEDS:
Know of a grant or funding opportunity for this project? We’re always looking for partners who care about families and literacy. If you’re a funder or can point us in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
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Funders/Grant Inquires: rachel@claremontforum.org
Breaking the Cycle: Financial Literacy and Scam Prevention for Aging Prison Populations
PROJECT STATUS: LOOKING FOR GRANT PARTNERS
The Claremont Forum, in partnership with the Cade Moore Foundation, is launching an initiative to provide aging incarcerated adults with critical financial literacy skills. As the U.S. prison population grows older, many face heightened vulnerability to financial exploitation and digital scams, both inside prison and post-release. This project addresses those risks by offering accessible, print-based financial education tailored to older adults who may lack digital fluency or prior financial training.
The program includes a series of easy-to-follow guides on budgeting, avoiding fraud, managing reentry expenses, and understanding modern banking tools. The materials are designed to be used independently or in group settings within correctional libraries. By working closely with prison librarians and peer educators, the program ensures content is relevant, respectful, and responsive to the lived experience of incarcerated individuals.
This initiative supports safer reentry, promotes long-term financial health, and helps reduce recidivism by equipping participants with tools for stability. The project is scalable and structured for broad dissemination across correctional institutions through the Prison Library Project’s nationwide network.
PROJECT NEEDS:
Know of a grant or funding opportunity for this project? We’re always looking for partners who care about families and literacy. If you’re a funder or can point us in the right direction, we’d love to hear from you.
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Funders/Grant Inquires: rachel@claremontforum.org