Oklahoma Prison Libraries: Sources of Hope

This month, Grace Church is collecting books to donate to Oklahoma's prison libraries as part of an ongoing program that provides books to incarcerated individuals. Lori Strand, one of our members, is heading up this book drive and she has written this post to share her passion for this cause.

During the 2020 pandemic, I learned that Oklahoma has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation and the world per capita. This weighed heavily on my heart, and I began praying about how to respond to a part of society that is often overlooked and devalued. How did God want me to “remember those in prison as if you were together with them…” (Hebrews 13:3)? Donating books became a simple, tangible way to offer education, solace, and connection.

Oklahoma’s state prison libraries receive no state funding for books or educational materials, leaving many facilities with outdated, sparse collections. Donating new and gently used books may seem modest, but its impact is truly transformative. According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, about 70% of incarcerated adults read below a fourth-grade level. Book donations help create vibrant prison libraries that foster personal growth, emotional healing, and hope. By providing a lifeline to literature, these donations contribute to rehabilitation, reduce misconduct, and reduce the isolation of incarceration.

For many incarcerated individuals, books provide a chance for redemption and growth. Some will never leave prison—and shouldn’t, in the name of public safety and justice for victims. Yet within their facility, access to books fosters mental health, personal development, and a sense of community. Beyond providing entertainment, books empower individuals who genuinely want to change and contribute in meaningful ways, such as:

• Studying for and passing GED exams, tutoring peers, and teaching classes.

• Using art, poetry, and craft books to create artwork, publish writing, and make handmade items such as hats, scarves, and blankets for charity. 

• Drawing on leadership and personal development books to start ministries, support groups, mentor others, and lead self-help programs.

• Improving communication skills and strengthening family bonds, sometimes by reading children’s books aloud during visits, fostering healthier relationships and group involvement.

• Turning to educational and self-help books for reflection, goal-setting, and positive change—key elements for rehabilitation and, for some, successful reintegration.

In Oklahoma, state prison libraries mainly build their collections through federal grants, notably from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), administered by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections provides space, staff, and administrative management of their libraries but does not allocate budget funding for books. 

Since June 2021, Oklahoma inmates have had access to tablets with a limited selection of free e-books, legal information, and music. However, these devices have limitations—popular, specialized, and current titles may require fees, and some inmates face barriers such as technology literacy, disciplinary restrictions, technical issues, outages, and device shortages.

While tablets supplement prison libraries, physical books remain essential for promoting educational equity, personal well-being, and dignity. Given Oklahoma’s high incarceration rate and the chronic underfunding of prison libraries, access to physical books will continue to be important.

Despite these challenges, there is hope. Oklahoma has made progress with reforms such as reclassifying low-level offenses, aligning sentencing with evidence-based practices, streamlining parole, and expanding opportunities for record expungement. Efforts to reduce excessive court fees help ease reentry barriers, while programs like the Sarah Stitt Act and Second Chance Families, support workforce readiness and family reunification. Together, these reforms contribute to a declining prison population and better outcomes for justice-involved individuals, extending mercy without judgment and creating new opportunities for change.

If you'd like to donate books, please add them to the blue bin in the entryway of the church before September 30th. 

Lori and her dog, Pogo