Ready Access: Reentry Services for Decarcerated Populations at your Library

Data shows that once an incarcerated person is released from an institution, the rates of recidivism dramatically decrease if they receive support.

Public libraries are uniquely situated to provide decarcerated individuals a wide range of supports because they are already providing these services to the community. For example:

• Access: to reading materials, computer hardware and software, a quiet and safe place
• Education: computer assistance, literacy, financial literacy classes, vocational, small business
• Community: feeling welcome at the library

In this webinar the presenters will demonstrate a web-based toolkit that includes multi-layered mapping, a reading list, an introduction to initiating partnerships with governmental and nongovernmental agencies and tips for creating programming for decarcerated individuals.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Locate a carceral institution near your library
2. Initiate partnerships using the Ready Access partnership workflow and templates
3. Market already-existing programming or create new programming using the Ready Access programming workflow
4. Expand collections and professional development with materials related to incarceration

This webinar will be of interest to: Public libraries: literacy, programming, adult, and youth services staff.