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Mission Statement
Maryland Correctional Education Libraries provide an opportunity for
all residents of Maryland Division of Correction and Patuxent facilities
to meet their personal, recreational and informational needs. Under the
direction of professional librarians, an environment inviting access to
resources and enabling services for use or these resources is maintained.
An emphasis is placed on providing high demand materials, in appropriate
formats, to meet the broad range of literacy needs represented by this community.
The libraries also serve as the information centers for the entire
incarcerated community living in maintaining institutions by making
available general reference and community information services and
assisting patrons in developing their own information gathering skills.
The libraries also support residents in their self directed learning and formal educational
pursuits.
Library Services
Each day more than 900 residents visit our libraries:
- To get answers to factual questions
- To read current newspapers and magazines
- To productively fill time
- To get up-to-date information
- To learn "how to do it" - Self-directed learning
- To get names and addresses of agencies and organizations'
- To access self-help and positive inspirational readings
- To get information for decision making for self and family
- To get help with class assignments
- To seek sources that will help them to be more productive when they reenter society
- To attend programs on educational topics, including book discussions
How does the library meet the needs of incarcerated customers?
Professional librarians trained in reference interview skills:
- Assess each customer's information needs
- Identify existing resources and provide referrals
- Use electronic resources and deliver information in a timely fashion
- Do reader's advisory
- Train customers to use databases to do research
- Train inmates to use "First Call for Help" a community directory
Maryland Correctional Education
Libraries encourage the use of our libraries by:
- Providing books, magazines, newspapers, CD ROM databases and audiovisual materials for everyone living in the institutions.
- Providing access to all Maryland libraries through MARINA, the statewide Interlibrary Loan organization.
- Establishing procedures for each customer to borrow up to three books for two weeks.
- Working with the Institutional Security to ensure customer access to the library.
- Instituting easy procedures for customers to get cited legal cases through LASI (Library Assistance to State Institutions).
- Placing request forms in the Housing units so customers can have ready access to LASI for their legal information needs.
- Providing each institution with LASI LIPS (Legal Information Packets -
brief statement of some criminal law and post conviction topics with reference to
cases, statutes, rules and regulations for use in the library.)
- Producing programs of current interest and needs.
- Using institutional mail as a means of serving those unable to visit the library.
- Displaying and distributing posters advertising service.
- Analyzing needs of each institution to create a service unique to the institution.
- Making available upon request materials for those with special needs.
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