The report of this committee made by Mr. Hadley at the Pasadena
meeting, outlined correspondence with the Department of Justice in
Washington, which Department has supervision of the penitentiaries
including their libraries. After repeated efforts by Mr. Hadley, the
department seemed to become interested in the libraries in the prisons,
and friendly to suggestions for improving them, but the officials
considered that proper library facilities were dependent upon the
provision by Congress of a system of education for the prisoners.
However, the department already had the authority to appropriate money
from its own funds for the purchase of books for the prison libraries.
In his report, Mr. Hadley recommended that a bill be introduced in the
next Congress for an annual appropriation for books and their care in
penitentiary libraries.
In 1911 catalogs of the libraries in the penitentiaries at Atlanta and
at McNeil Island were prepared by the prison librarians and printed.
After these were submitted to the Department of Justice, it seems to
have been decided to adopt a definite policy for the annual expenditure
of money for the purchase of books for one of these libraries, that at
McNeil Island. This decision was probably hastened by the disclosures
the catalogues made in regard to the kind of books already in the
libraries. It is evident that fiction constitutes almost the whole of
the collections. At any rate in January the attorney general wrote
the secretary of the American Library Association that the department
would spend $100 annually for the purchase of books for the library
at McNeil Island, and requested that a list of books be prepared,
none of the books to be fiction, but chiefly history, biography and
science. Mr. Utley asked the present chairman of your committee to
prepare the list since the Tacoma library is the nearest to McNeil
Island and the present chairman was somewhat acquainted with the
conditions and needs there. A list of 500 titles, with a first choice
of books to cost $100.00 was considered, but the list was reduced to
175 titles, since it was deemed best to provide only for purchase for
two years. Since the library already contained considerable fiction and
the public libraries of both Seattle and Tacoma frequently send the
prison selected books from their discards, it was fortunate that the
department wished no fiction on the list.
We have learned from the Department of Justice in the last few days
that similar purchases were not contemplated for the much larger
prisons at Atlanta and Leavenworth. No attempt was made to secure
the introduction of a bill in Congress providing for an annual
appropriation for books and their care in the penitentiary libraries,
since it was already so late in the present session; since the new
interest of the department under the present law appeared promising;
and since it seemed desirable first to secure the discussion and
coöperation of the American Prison Association and other societies
interested in prison administration and reform. It was hoped that a
member of this committee could present the subject of libraries in
the federal prisons at the meeting of the Conference of Charities and
Corrections in Cleveland during the present month, but it was not
possible to carry out the plan. The American Prison Association has
formally invited a member of the committee to discuss the same subject
at the annual meeting of the association at Baltimore in November, and
it is highly desirable that the invitation be accepted. It should be
possible to interest and secure the powerful backing of the American
Prison Association in securing the passage of any contemplated
legislation looking to the improvement of prison libraries.
The warden of the prison at McNeil Island secures some fifty magazines
as gifts by merely begging them from the publishers! At both Atlanta
and Leavenworth, the only new magazines the prisoners see are those
which they subscribe for themselves or which are sent by their friends.
In the Atlanta prison, a regular school is conducted, and whatever
books are purchased from the general funds are school books. A school
should be established at McNeil Island. At present there are no
facilities for such work there but with the example of the one at
Atlanta, it should be possible to urge effectively that the department
establish a school at McNeil Island.
In the coming year the commendable start which the Department of
Justice has made in purchasing books for the prison at McNeil Island,
should open the way for successful efforts in persuading the department
to undertake much more liberal purchases of books for the libraries of
the much larger prisons at Atlanta and at Leavenworth.
* * * * *
It is earnestly recommended that a vigorous presentation of the needs
of the prison libraries be made to the department by someone in person,
backed by all the influence obtainable. It is also urged that a list of
fiction suitable for prison libraries be co-operatively made with the
utmost care. The needs of the prisoner in his reading for recreation
are very special, and many books entirely suitable for the open shelf
room of a public library should be ruthlessly excluded from the prison.
Expert knowledge of the psychology of the prisoner should in some way
be obtained in preparing a list of fiction for reading in prison. It is
better that the prisoner read not at all than that he should be given
many of the books eminently fit for one in the normal conditions and
relations of life.
FRANKLIN F. HOPPER, Chairman.
* * * * *
Mrs. Sneed supplemented Mr. Hopper's report with a report of conditions
in the federal prison at Atlanta and of conferences which she had had
with officials from Washington. It was her opinion, based on advice
from the prison authorities that the only way to accomplish anything
is for some one to go to Washington, put the case plainly before
the Department of Justice and ask that an appropriation be made for
libraries in the federal prisons. Mr. Dudgeon moved that Mrs. Sneed,
Dr. Owen and Mr. Hopper act as a committee representing the League
with full power to act, and that the League pledge itself to hearty
coöperation. Carried. Miss Tyler moved that the secretary of the League
send a communication to the Council of the A. L. A., stating the
progress of the committee and asking for its coöperation. On the motion
of Mr. Dudgeon, $50.00 was placed at the disposal of the committee to
carry on its work.
The report of the publications committee was then presented by the
chairman, Mr. M. S. Dudgeon. At his suggestion the recommendations of
the committee were voted on as they were read.
The League adopted the first, second and third recommendation of the
committee; took no action on the fifth, and adopted the sixth. The
report of the committee was then accepted.