Embedded Librarianship in Correctional Facilities: Supporting and Bridging the Right to Information and Literacy in a

Vulnerable Community

"Daddy reads nice, I want to read like dad-

dy. I want to read at the same time

(together) with daddy, can I record my

reading too?"

- Child feedback, 2017

“It helped me with my own reading

skills. I really had to focus to do a

good job”

- Participant feedback, 2017

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS?

Promote the importance of Family Literacy

Reduce recidivism

Develop basic literacy skills

Provide information about TPL’s programs and services

To improve the participant’s skills and opportunities for

rehabilitation

VALUABLE OUTCOMES

500+ Total # of recordings

(since 2011)

WHAT DO WE DO?

300 Total # of participants

(since 2011)

QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK

INTRODUCTION Public Library services extend far beyond the physical library space and into the communities

they serve. Toronto Public Library launched the Storybook Parents Program to help connect in-

carcerated and recently released participants with their children by recording them reading a sto-

rybook for their children. This activity helps to nurture the relationship between the participants

and their children. Social and family connectedness is crucial in marginalized communities, thus

this program highlights the importance of family bonds through learning and literacy.

IMPACT OF PROGRAMMING ON COMMUNITY

Family plays an important role during incarceration and reintegration. The correctional atmos-

phere itself often challenges the resilience and survival of families involved, due to a number of

social, cultural and familial factors (Griffiths, Dandurand & Murdoch, 2007). Research shows that

stronger family ties often lead to safer communities and are an effective form of crime preven-

tion and recidivism.

Programs such as Storybook Parents help to create and maintain family bonds indirectly through

reading and literacy. Reading aloud becomes a wonderful bonding moment within the family.

Not only does the participant themselves get to develop and practice their basic literacy skills,

but this provides an opportunity for the participant to be reading role models for their children.

Modeling the importance of reading by a parent, a child’s first and best teachers, encourages

them in ways no one else can. Reading aloud helps children learn listening skills, vocabulary and

language skills, as well as develop imagination and creativity (Brown, 2012).

138 Total # of participants

(for 2017)

420 Total # of

children reached (since 2011)

“This is one of the best ideas ever! We love it so much,

just because of circumstances shouldn't mean that our

child doesn't get to read with her father. This program

makes it fun and exciting to read. My only suggestion

would be MORE BOOKS! :)”

- Family feedback, 2017

REFERENCES

256

Total # of recordings (for 2017)

230 Total # of

children reached (for 2017)

WHAT IS THE STORYBOOK PARENTS PROGRAM? The Storybook Parents program is a family literacy initiative that provides services to currently in-

carcerated and recently-released men and women. The program is funded as part of the Toronto

Youth Equity Strategy, a city wide service plan that focuses on youth (ages 18-29) who are at the

highest risk of involvement in serious violence or crime.

The Storybook Parents program works with individuals who have been in conflict with the law to

help maintain family bonds and reduce recidivism through the development of family literacy.

This program creates a recording of a story being read aloud by a participant (parent/older rela-

tive). The recording and storybook is then mailed to their family for the child to listen and read

with.

The program involves a librarian recording participants reading storybooks for young members of their fami-

lies, which can include his or her sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren or younger siblings. An au-

dio CD of the book being read aloud by the participant is created. The CD recording along with a copy of the

book, which includes a personal note from the inmate, if they wish to do so, is packaged and sent to the

child. The program works with incarcerated men, and recently–released men and women.

BARRIERS FOR PROGRAM High Turnover: Jails and detention centres hold individ-

uals who are pending or awaiting trial (remand), or may

have received a shorter sentence. As a result, these facili-

ties have high turnover rates.

Infrastructure Issues: Shortage of correctional officers

and lockdowns hinder access to the inmates and facility.

Other Programs: Many other programs are offered in

the facility, resulting in competition for space.

Advance Requirements and Training for Librarian

Needed: Librarians need to have completed a Police Ref-

erence Check (PRC) and a training session with coordina-

tors prior to entering facility.

Restrictions to contact: Existing court-orders may re-

strict the participant from contacting their child and/or

guardian.

Brown, A.D. (2012, April 10). Why reading is important for your children. Retrieved from https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/why-reading-is-important-for-your-children/

Griffiths, C.T., Dandurand, Y. & Murdoch, D. (2007, April). The social reintegration of offenders and crime prevention. Retrieved from https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/scl-rntgrtn/index-en.aspx