One Athens program works to donate books to prisoners so they can be educated and have a positive pastime.
Twice a month a small Athens living room is packed with piles of books along with volunteers who all share one common goal — to help prisoners obtain reading material they might otherwise not be able to access.
Athens Books to Prisoners pack books away to ship to prisoners across all areas in Ohio who have requested reading material.
“We see what we do as direct response to the problem of the prison industrial complex,” Sarah Fick, who helped create the organization, said. “Prison can be dehumanizing, and we help them get through it.”
The group meets from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month to sometimes ship up to 250 books per month. It is the organization’s hope that the books can provide prisoners with an education that will help reduce the likelihood of returning to prison.
Fick helped create the organization with her partner Caty Crabb almost four years ago. They both had experiences in the past with similar organizations and decided to create one in Athens.
For Fick, it goes beyond just giving prisoners something to read. She said it was also a matter of having something for the prisoners to call their own.
“It gives them an opportunity to own something in prison,” Fick said. “You don't own anything (in prison), you barely own your own body. Our books become their personal property.”
Fick said prisoners mostly request books that help improve their education — ones that teach trades, foreign languages and how to get a GED. They also ask for science fiction or suspense books for entertainment.
Why these citizens volunteer varies from person to person. Some of them find it easy to relate to the prisoners.
“A lot of volunteers who come through have gotten into trouble in the past,” Fick said. “They’re happy to help someone in that position.”
Miguel Evanosky, a consistent volunteer, said he agrees that the prison system is a problem and that the state is more focused on profit than rehabilitation.
“It’s a bad system and we’re working to change it,” he said.
Fick said she spoke with prisoners on the subject of how limited the selection of books is and how poor the quality of books are in prison, which in some cases have entire chapters ripped out.
“A lot of prisons have libraries, but some don't,” Fick said. “Oftentimes we hear prisoners don't get to go to the library or only get to go once a month.”
From the house they use as a headquarters to the books they send out, Athens Books to Prisoners relies on the charity of the community to maintain operations. However, Fick said that donations aren’t always easy to come by.
“The community rallies more for other organizations,” Fick said. “When you talk about problems with prisons, people are reluctant to get behind you because they believe prisons are doing good in the world.”
Fick said she thought this perception of prisoners was unfair, and said it was one reason they struggle to acquire donations.
“A lot of prisoners are there because they're a danger to society,” she said. “There’s also a lot of people locked up for minor crimes.”
Some students understand how organizations like Athens Books to Prisoners are in need of money, but recognize the need for prisons.
“If they committed the crime, they deserve to be in prison, but they should still be treated like humans," Jordan Allison, an undecided freshman, said.
In order to survive, they have had to sell off some of the donated books that are worth money, a necessary evil, Fick said. One of her goals is to be financially stable enough to easily send all donated books to prisoners all over Ohio. Despite lack of money, she said she is determined to continue the program for the foreseeable future.
“There's nothing to do (in prison) besides watch TV and get into fights. Reading can pass the time and give you a sense of wonder,” Fick said. “It allows you to experience another story besides your own.”
@AustinRErickson
ae554013@ohio.edu
