At POP, several times a year we make large book donations to maximum security prisons. We spend week beforehand lining up permissions and details so that we can leave a stack of books at their front door. We are never invited in. Prisons are designed...

In March 2011, Jim, our Executive Director, decided it was time for the POP Project to have its own blog presence. His idea was to write one post a week about something related to books, whether it be about literature, libraries, or a topic inspired...

I recently visited a handful of death row prisons in North Carolina and Virginia. I know there are better vacation options, including ones with more sun and bikinis and boats. But it was important for me to be there. Many inmates are starved for information....

I give books to inmates. I visit death row prisons. When either of these things comes up in conversation, people always ask, “Why?” For a long time, I didn’t really have a great answer. People either “get it” or they don’t. Preaching to the indoctrinated...