Donated books heading to NM prison libraries

Boxes upon boxes full of books will soon be heading to prison libraries across New Mexico, thanks to a book drive that was hosted from Dec. 4 to Dec. 22 by the ACLU of New Mexico.

This was the second time the ACLU of New Mexico has hosted a book drive benefiting prison libraries; the first one occurred in 2019, according to Lalita Moskowitz.

A litigation manager at ACLU, Moskowitz said the idea to hold the book drive came from conversations she had with incarcerated individuals she was representing.

“I kept hearing from them that the libraries were outdated and really needed new reading material,” Moskowitz said. “So we just thought, we know people who have stacks of books they read and loved and don’t need anymore, might as well give them to the folks who do need them.”

Individuals were able to drop off paperback fiction, non-fiction books, as well as CDs and DVDs at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice. The amount of donations they received became so large, Fines and Fees Community Engagement Specialist Saba Ijadi said he had to move 25 boxes full of books into his garage.

These books represent more than just a way to pass the time for prisoners, they are a means of escape from their daily routines and one of the only means of self education while they’re incarcerated, according to Moskowitz.

“Books are one of the few opportunities that folks have for free self entertainment and self improvement, so access to educational materials is critical,” she said.

The ACLU is still in the process of working out which libraries will receive these books. Moskowitz said conversations with prison officials and inmates will be critical to ensure the libraries most in need are the ones who will receive these donations.

As far as the public response, Moskowitz was very grateful for the support and donations they received.

“Prisons can become forgotten. We neglect our incarcerated community members,” she said. “So (the book drive donations) is a really tremendous thing that folks are doing to acknowledge those behind bars.”

Despite the book drive ending on Dec. 22, there are still ways the public can donate items. Moskowitz said textbooks and resource books that are less than two years old can be donated to prisons and represent a great learning resource.