Wisconsin 2010 LSTA Grant Projects

Among the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) projects approved for funding in Wisconsin in 2010 is a Dane County Library Service grant for Outreach to the Dane County Jail System. The $7,622 grant will address the diverse literacy needs of those incarcerated in the Dane County Jail.

The objectives of the grant are:
1. To encourage literacy among the inmates in the Dane County Jail System by purchasing a collection of high interest/low level reading books and magazines in English and Spanish for a targeted population of 805.
2. To provide a monthly book discussion group for a targeted population of 100 inmates.
3. To increase the awareness of public library resources for reading and independent learning by providing a targeted population of 150 Dane County Jail residents with LINKcat online catalog training sessions and access to library information and card applications.
4. To increase staff understanding and sensitivity to inmates by attending the Returning Prisoner Simulation Workshop sponsored by the Madison-Area Urban Ministry.

The grant will provide the Dane County Library Service with a framework of training and materials that will support the literacy needs of inmates incarcerated in the Dane County Jail System.

Because many of those incarcerated at the Dane County Jail struggle with learning disabilities, it’s important to provide access to literacy material tailored to a variety of abilities. The current jail library holdings consist entirely of random donated materials which fail to meet the needs of the diverse jail population. The LSTA grant will increase the number of high interest/low level reading materials available to inmates. The grant will also address the lack of Spanish language materials available for inmates. By providing materials that are tailored specifically to meet the diverse needs of inmates, the grant will make literacy accessible for a larger population of those incarcerated in the Dane County Jail.

Dane County Library Service will collaborate with the Jail Library Group and the Madison Metropolitan School District to provide a monthly book discussion group at the Dane County Jail. Book Discussion groups will provide motivation to read and allow inmates a chance to sharpen their literacy skills. Book Discussion Groups provide a sense of community as they allow inmates a chance to relate with others through the exchange of opinions and ideas.

LINKcat online library catalog training will be offered to inmates who are currently working on receiving their high school diploma from the Madison Metropolitan School District. These students will be offered an opportunity to apply for a library card and a library information packet.

The grant will provide inmates at the Dane County Jail a wide array of literacy materials and educational support. Literacy skills are a key component in determining inmate recidivism. Studies have consistently shown that the risk of recidivism diminishes incrementally with the amount of education that inmates receive while incarcerated. The LSTA grant will support educational achievement through collaboration with Madison Metropolitan School District. The grant will also provide an overview of free public library resources that are available to inmates to take advantage of upon their release back into the community.