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Welcome to THE MLA Prison Libraries Committee Section

About PLC

Who we are:

The Prison Libraries Committee (PLC) of the Manitoba Library Association (MLA) is a volunteer group that provides collections, programming and library awareness for people who are incarcerated in Manitoba.  Formed in 2012, the PLC’s volunteers provide service to:

  1. Winnipeg Remand Centre (WRC) in Winnipeg
  2. Women’s Correctional Centre (WCC) in Headingley, Manitoba
  3. Headingley Correctional Centre (HCC)
  4. Milner Ridge Correctional Centre in Beausejour, Manitoba
  5. The Pas Correctional Centre in The Pas, Manitoba
  6. Brandon Correctional Centre in Brandon, Manitoba
  7. Manitoba Youth Centre (MYC) in Winnipeg

Programs have also been provided in other sites as part of reintegration and partnered initiatives. Activities of the PLC are continually evolving as we learn, grow and connect within justice and reintegration services in Manitoba.

What we believe:

We believe prison libraries and literacy play an important role in peoples’ reintegration into communities. Thoughtful programming and access to meaningful and relevant reading materials can help improve individuals’ quality of life both inside and outside of correctional institutions.

Please read our Prisoners Right to Read statement adopted by the Canadian Federation of Library Associations.

And the MLA-PLC action statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement

What we do:

  • collect and deliver and organize books to the prisons
  • offer an Email Reference Service to HCC, WCC, Milner Ridge, and MYC
  • create library awareness for incarcerated Manitobans to inform on the resources and tools of the library for when they are released
  • commit to work together with partner sites and organizations towards the mutual goal of providing incarcerated and reintegrating individuals with relevant reading material and information
  • act with respect to both incarcerated Manitobans and workers in the justice system
  • advocate for the greatest access to reading materials and information possible within the environments of individual correctional institutions
  • operate library services and programming inside the prisons
    • we arrange special guests such as author talks, writing workshops, and songwriter visits
    • you can read a copy of the Create Chapbook online created by the women inside WCC (link takes you to the U of M – Institute for the Humanities website)

Contact

General questions can be directed to: prison.library@mla.mb.ca

For questions about volunteering please contact:  mla.plcvolunteer@gmail.com
For questions about donating books please contact: mla.plcdonate@gmail.com
Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/MLA.PLC
Follow our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/mla_plc/ 

Read media coverage about our committee