Abstract:
Everyone deserves access to opportunity, including individuals navigating reentry after experiencing incarceration. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, each year, more than 600,000 individuals are released from state and federal prisons within the United States and 9 million are released from jail. Libraries provide access to an array of programs and services offered by government agencies, for-profits, and nonprofits. Libraries connect patrons who have experienced incarceration with the resources to learn computer skills, improve literacy, attain degrees, gain access to substance abuse meetings, and more. From assisting individuals affected by the opioid crisis to providing patrons with opportunities to use computers and reconnect with their families, libraries are places of opportunity that increase the success rate of reentry. This potential can be realized only with increased funding for library programming and policy-maker awareness on the benefits that libraries offer.