Maryland Correctional Education Libraries

1100 North Eutaw Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
(410) 767-9761
Library Coordinator - Glennor Shirley

"The Heart of the Maryland Prison System is the Library."

Mission of the Libraries

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 of 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.

Library Information

• There are 12 full time and 10 satellite libraries across the state.
   
• Our libraries operate as Community Information, lifelong learning, and leisure reading centers.
   
• We use LSTA funds to enhance our collection and initiate special projects as: translating service descriptions to Spanish, introducing technology and data bases that provide lifelong learning , and special training programs for inmates.
   
• The Mobile Unit provides re-entry and transitional information services.

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

Meeting the Needs of the Inmates

The more secure institutions are staffed by a librarian with an MLS. They do reader’s advisory, collection management, reference service, and programs. These 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

Library Statistics - Fiscal Year 2008

Prison Demographics

Maryland has approximately 24,000 adults incarcerated in state prisons. Each prisoner has 2.5 (60,000) school aged children in the public school system.

• Each year, the Division of Correction releases nearly 15,000 inmates back to the community.
   
• Approximately 24% are incarcerated for a drug related offense.
   
• Approximately 60% of inmates are high school dropouts.
   
• Approximately 1,300 prisoners are females.
   
• Age ranges from 12 persons under 17 years old to 285 persons over 60 years old.

Updated May 3, 2011