Reading behind Bars

May 1, 2019
A newly minted librarian discovers the importance of reading for prison inmates. In 2008, with a fresh degree and few job prospects, Grunenwald (Running with a Police Escort: Tales from the Back of the Pack, 2017) took her first professional position in a men's minimum security prison in her native Ohio. Although she came to her new job with part-time experience in public libraries and a master's degree in library and information science, she felt completely unprepared for the restrictive prison environment. "I had neither intended nor set out to become a prison librarian," she admits, not even fully understanding what a "correctional facility" really entailed. In a forthright, gently told memoir, the author portrays herself as both naïve and well-intentioned as she deals with inmates--mostly serving time for drunken driving charges or drug convictions--for whom a prison library meets a range of needs. Some read local newspapers, some consult law books or, with limited access, LexisNexis; one inmate confesses that he wants to read the books he should have read in high school; a few take the opportunity to hide behind bookshelves to masturbate--one of the many infractions that Grunenwald must report. The library also serves as a place of respite. For inmates who work as library assistants as well as for those who come to read, the library is "a unique pocket of freedom" within the highly regimented and surveilled prison. What Grunenwald encountered on her first day was a huge mess: outdated reference books, mixed-up encyclopedia volumes, inadequate shelving, unprocessed donation books, and two computers for inmate use, one of which was continually broken. In addition, she confronted a plethora of rules that governed inmate behavior, movement, and her own responsibilities. Quickly, she had to establish her authority. "Power in prison is in constant flux," she notes, with inmates having the power "to inspire fear within the staff." After 20 months, "tired and burned out," Grunenwald left for another job, hoping she helped some inmates to develop a real love of books. A compassionate perspective on prison life.

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May 13, 2019
In this delightful, earnest memoir, Grunenwald (Running with a Police Escort) examines her life as a prison librarian. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a master of library science degree in December 2008, Grunenwald landed a job with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections at a minimum-security men’s prison outside of Cleveland; the handcuffs slapped on her wrists as part of the self-defense training she received on her first day showed this was no normal library job. It took a while for her to become acclimated, and her patrons gave her a crash course in prison tattoos, gangs, and inmate peculiarities (some prisoners cut holes in their pockets, a patron named Washington embarrassingly explained, in order to masturbate). Grunenwald writes about some hilarious situations, such as frantically dispatching a bat from the library, as well as more somber moments, as when she movingly discusses an inmate’s suicide attempt in relation to her own depression. Grunenwald is an empathetic narrator who, with straightforward prose, easily draws readers in. Eventually, Grunenwald realizes that her incarcerated library patrons have a great deal of similarities to readers on the “outside”—they devour newspapers and magazines, and love James Patterson novels—and concludes that she herself has strengthened her self-confidence as she lands a librarian job at a local college. Fans of Orange Is the New Black will appreciate this alternate view of life behind bars, and those looking for life changes will find lots of inspiring motivation.

July 19, 2019

Grunenwald's (Running with a Police Escort) new memoir provides detailed insight into the life of a prison librarian. Fresh out of library school and on the job market during the Great Recession, Grunenwald accepted the position of sole librarian at a minimum-security prison in Grafton, OH. Her account captures the rigor of prison life for both staff and inmates through examples of signing in and out of the library and calling ahead as inmates walk from the library to their dormitories. Grunenwald expresses her concerns about patron privacy, freedom of information, and collection management--all typical for other libraries, but that do not exist in a prison. In addition to demonstrating the importance of prison libraries, the book highlights the usefulness of education programs and legal documents inside the institutions. As the author works through implementing new cataloging and check-out systems, Ms. G, as she's known inside, also runs into patron issues and administrative struggles. Grunenwald's experiences demonstrate the many issues libraries often encounter, regardless of the population they serve. VERDICT Recommended for those studying library and information science or who are interested in America's prison system.--Meghan Dowell, Carroll Uni., Waukesha, WI

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Starred review from June 1, 2019
When Grunenwald (Running with a Police Escort, 2017) received her library science degree in 2008, jobs were scarce and library funding even scarcer. After a long search, she accepted a position at a minimum-security prison in her home state of Ohio. What followed was an unforgettable experience and the subject of this memoir. She details her initiation into prison life, from daily searches of her possessions to needing permission to use the restroom. She doesn't shy away from tough topics like prisoner behavior (including moments worthy of the #MeToo movement) and the endless cycle of recidivism; she also explores her own depression and personal difficulties on the job. Grunenwald writes in a smart, honest tone that will keep readers relating strongly to her as she navigates her new world. A fascinating look into a world many of us never see, and a powerful story about one woman's journey to find her own strength, with a clear message of the importance of books and information for all. Librarians and library-lovers will cherish this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)