Information for Correctional Facilities & Mailrooms

Contact our Program Director

The Prison Library Project (PLP) provides quality books to incarcerated individuals and correctional institutions across the United States. We understand the importance of facility safety and mailroom protocols. This page is designed to help correctional staff, librarians, and administrators coordinate with us effectively.

What We Provide

We primarily fulfill individual book requests sent to us by mail from incarcerated people. Additionally, we support institutional goals by providing bulk shipments for:

  • Facility Libraries

  • Educational & Vocational Programs

  • Reentry & Life-Skills Collections

Note: Institutional shipments are arranged in coordination with the facility and are subject to current inventory and shipping capacity.

Shipping, Safety, and Compliance Standards

To ensure a high success rate for our shipments, the PLP follows a two-step inspection process before any package leaves our bookstore.

  1. Content Inspection: Every book is inspected to ensure it is in good condition, free of personal markings or writing, and contains no staples or prohibited inserts.

  2. Compliance Review: We review the specific mailing guidelines for your facility (including format and quantity limits) to ensure the package meets your criteria.

Mailing Protocols:

  • All shipments are sent via USPS Media Mail.

  • Packages include a professional packing slip and a return address from The Claremont Forum Bookshop, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

  • We rely on facilities to keep us updated on policy changes. If a shipment is rejected, please mark it "Return to Sender" with the reason noted so we can update our records.

Official Mailing Address for Individual Requests

Please share this address with your population so they can submit written requests for books.

Prison Library Project
915 C Postmark Box 128
Claremont, CA 91711

How to Request Books for Institutional Use

If you are a staff member looking to stock a library or program, please contact us at info@claremontforum.org. In your email, please include:

  • Facility Name and Primary Contact

  • Intended Use (e.g., General Library, GED prep, Reentry)

  • Format Requirements (e.g., Paperback only, max 5 books per box)

  • Subject Preferences (e.g., Trade skills, fiction, dictionaries)

Frequently Asked Questions (for Staff)

Does PLP send books to Jails? We do not send books directly to individuals in jails. However, we are happy to send bulk shipments for jail libraries or approved programs when the request comes directly from a staff member.

What happens if a recipient has been transferred or released? If a resident has been released, we encourage the facility to add the books to the institutional library. If they have been transferred, you may return the package to us so we can reroute it to the new location.

What kinds of books can you provide? We offer a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, and vocational materials. We have a growing focus on educational resources, including trade manuals (carpentry, electrical, CDL), dictionaries, and wellness books.