Books Open Worlds for People Behind Bars: Library Services in Prison as Exemplified by the Münster Prison Library, Germany's "Library of the Year 2007"

The prison library at the Münster Correctional Facility was named “Library of the Year 2007” by the German Library Association. An examination of this specific library in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) provides insight into the operation and services of prison libraries in Germany. This article will hopefully inspire readers to get involved in library work with a social focus and bring attention to the new advocacy organization Prison Library Support Group (Förderverein Gefangenenbüchereien e.V.). Besides opening the door to a world normally closed to the public, this article seeks to sensitize the reader to the microcosm of human experience that exists behind prison walls. Preliminary Note The purpose of this article is to provide insight into an otherwise closed world, which is the prison environment, through the example of the prison library at the Münster Correctional Facility. This description shows both the library’s ordinary and award-winning features, as well as its limitations. The expression “books open worlds” is applicable not only to those behind bars, but also for you, the reader, as you look into an alien world. Through books and audiovisual materials, prisoners can remain connected to the world outside the prison walls. They can make new discoveries that help them spend their time productively while in custody. Ultimately, books and other library resources help them better reintegrate into society after release. 521 peschers/germany History of Prison Libraries as a Mirror of the Prison Experience The history of prison libraries in Germany is intrinsically linked to the history of the penitentiary system as well as the history of libraries in society. The evolution of prison libraries reflects the spirit of the times. They are witnesses to history.1 In the nineteenth century, members of the clergy were in charge of prison libraries, which contained mainly religious materials, organized according to denomination. Materials depicting crime were prohibited. Prisoners were encouraged to read and discuss these religious texts. The main purpose of reading was considered to be the (positive) impact this activity would have on the reader. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, prison teachers have generally managed the facility libraries. In the 1903 administrative regulations of the city of Münster in Westphalia, the former imperial state, the following reference is made to its prison libraries: “Each prisoner is normally given one library book per week from a teacher.” In addition to providing support for the pursuit of reading, the teachers worked hard to increase the literacy skills of the inmates. Occasionally, the library community on the outside reached into the prisons. It was not, however, until professional librarians were employed in the prisons that the institution libraries began to develop in a professional and consistent manner. These librarians were then also able to establish themselves as a distinct interest group with representation in professional associations. In most German federal states, unfortunately, the prisons do not employ professional librarians, a situation that makes it nearly impossible to share information and experiences. No systematic information about prison libraries in other states is available. Full-time professional librarians with academic degrees are employed in only three of the sixteen federal states: in Bremen, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). Comments from the general library community about this situation are rare, and the prison staff who manage the libraries in the institutions are often on their own. Prison library management at the regional level exists only in a few places. On occasion, prison staff contact local public libraries or library systems for guidance and advice. Access to books offers prisoners the opportunity for constructive leisure activities. The prison libraries serve three purposes: recreation, education, and personal development of the prison population. The reading of books and the use of audiovisual materials give the inmates the opportunity to direct their thoughts away from the prison environment and create their own emotional space. The audiovisual materials are a source of information and education on a variety of subjects; they also improve language skills and increase self-awareness. A collection of relevant 522 library trends/winter 2011 audiovisual resources provides people behind bars with a certain degree of cultural freedom and, at the same time, a small amount of privacy. Legal Rights of Prisoners to Access Libraries Each of the sixteen federal states in Germany administers its own prison system and is responsible for overseeing the incarceration of adults and juvenile offenders in both detention centers (preconviction) and correctional facilities (postconviction).2 The purpose of a criminal sentence is to make the offender capable of living a responsible and crime-free life after release from prison and to protect the community from further crime.3 During the term of imprisonment, every offender has the right to access a library during his/her free time.4 Consequently, almost all correctional facilities in Germany have a library. The organizational structure and resources of these libraries are not further specified in the code. The federal government structure of Germany makes each of the sixteen states autonomous. Research conducted in 2007 found that nine of the sixteen states did not mention the requirement to provide a library in the drafts of their new juvenile detention laws, in spite of a mandate by the European Prison Rules. Article 28 states explicitly: “Every institution must provide an adequately stocked library accessible to all prisoners. It should offer a variety of books and other materials, suitable for both entertainment and education” (Art. 28.5); “Wherever possible, the prison library should be managed in collaboration with public libraries” (Art. 28.6). As the result of various research findings, the president of the German Library Association (Deutscher Bibliotheksverband) in September 2007 urged the justice ministries of each federal state to incorporate a mandate for prison libraries into their new prison legislation. It would be helpful if members of the regional library associations would follow this recommendation and actively advocate making library materials available to incarcerated persons. An examination of the extent to which this mandate for libraries has actually been adopted in new federal state laws has still to be conducted in 2010. The Prison Library as Model for Socially Responsible Library Services Socially responsible library services are aimed at people who live in disadvantaged circumstances and who need special assistance. These groups include the elderly, hospital patients, people with visual disabilities or other physical disabilities, as well as incarcerated persons. Socially responsible libraries see their mission as ensuring access for all citizens to information resources in all formats.5 This “social” work happens both inside and outside the library. UNESCO (1976) defines the functions of socially responsible library work in its “Recommendation on Participation by the People 523 peschers/germany at Large in Cultural Life and Their Contribution to It.” The basic principle is that all social groups must be afforded the opportunity to pursue cultural interests and be involved in cultural activities. This philosophy clearly encompasses libraries as they endeavor to fulfill their mission for cultural and social inclusion. The mission of the German public library system to guarantee access to information for all citizens presents a constant challenge as society changes and evolves. To succeed in providing equitable services to users with special needs requires, besides political support, skilled library staff and adequate funding. Since the closing of the German Library Institute (Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut) and the subsequent dissolution of the Commission for Special User Groups (Kommission für besondere Benutzergruppen), the social role of libraries is rarely discussed in the professional library community and has been taken to heart by only a few dedicated individuals. Additionally, lack of resources over the last few years means that public libraries are struggling to provide adequate services, and programs and initiatives for special user groups have been eliminated or substantially reduced. Kaden and Kindling (2007) includes a series of articles that provide a good overview of current library work with a social agenda. The expression “books open worlds” is especially applicable to the prison environment, where the world is a strictly limited space, an actual microcosm of society (Thompson, 1997). It is a place associated with the dark side of society. Most people prefer to look the other way when real stories from prison appear in the news; they would rather keep their own illusion of prison life, which is mostly based on movies and crime fiction.6 Incarcerated people attach great importance to their prison library, a fact that is reflected by usage data and reader surveys: approximately 80 percent of prisoners are regular library patrons. The library in the Münster Correctional Facility strives to meet the many diverse needs of this population. The library is deeply committed to the principles of socially responsible user services and can be considered a model library in that respect.7 Prison Libraries: The North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Model Each federal state in Germany keeps its own data on individuals in its custody.8 The rising number of incarcerated people (70,252 in year 2000; 78,664 in 2005; 79,713 in 2008) must be distributed equitably among approximately 200 penal institutions.9 Tasks associated with the daily operation of the library are generally performed by inmate workers under staff supervision. In all of Germany, there are only four full-time prison librarians. In addition to Hamburg and Bremen, there are two positions in NRW (at the Cologne Correctional Facility and the Münster Correctional Facility). 524 library trends/winter 2011 Until 2007, the NRW correctional system was administered at three separate levels: the Ministry of Justice, the county justice department, and the individual institution penitentiaries.10 In 2008, the county justice department was dissolved, and a two-tiered structure was introduced. The Prison Libraries Department in Cologne and Münster was placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice. Approximately 18,000 prisoners are housed in the thirty-six state correctional facilities. About 180 youthful offenders are housed in the five juvenile facilities. In 2007, foreign nationals (from more than 100 countries) accounted for 28 percent of the prison population. The female population is about 5 percent of the total. Library services in the NRW prisons are founded on modern principles of public librarianship, and both library management and user services follow accepted public library practices, if at all possible, within the restrictions of the prison environment. The NRW prisons have about sixty separate library service points, each with a collection ranging in size from 1,000 to 12,000 items. The total of all collections stands at approximately 240,000 items. The prison library represents one option within the institution’s total recreational program. It is used for entertainment, personal development, continuing education, and independent study. A specific purpose of the prison is to encourage the inmates to read, to use library materials in creative ways, and to make them lifelong library users. The prison library can be considered a special subtype of public libraries in its role to provide access for incarcerated people to informational materials. The NRW prison libraries use identical management software. A plan exists to convert all the sites to a standardized commercial integrated library system in the near future, which will require new library policies and operational procedures. Responsibility for library operations and services falls into three levels: inmate library assistants perform the practical tasks of daily operation onsite (level I); prison staff with various professional backgrounds supervise the library at each site (level II); and two librarians from the Prison Library Department coordinate the management and services of all the libraries (level III).11 Level I: Inmate Library Assistants The inmate library workers have limited access to computers and information technology. In their role as library assistants, they perform collection maintenance tasks, such as inventory, technical processing, and cataloging, and they handle circulation and data collection. They are permitted to turn the computers on and off but can only use the library software. They are able to process bibliographic records, as well as patron informa-