In this edition of Madison Book Beat, host Andrew Thomas speaks with folx from LGBT Books to Prisoners and A Room of One's Own bookstore on the Wisconsin Department of Corrections’ recently-implemented restrictions on book donations, the condition of prison libraries, and the current state of abolition activism.

“On the whole, people tend to take prisons for granted. It is difficult to imagine life without them,” she continues. “At the same time, there is reluctance to face the realities hidden within them, a fear of thinking about what happens inside them. Thus, the prison is present in our lives and, at the same time, it is absent from our lives.” --Angela Davis, Are Prisons Obsolete?

Joining me for a conversation on this topic is Bryan Davis and Nicholas Leete of LGBT Books to Prisoners and Mira Braneck of A Room of One's Own bookstore.

LGBT Books to Prisoners was born out of the Wisconsin Books to Prisoners (WI BtP) in 2007. LGBT Books to Prisoners is a prison abolitionist, volunteer-run project which primarily works to send books requested by queer people in prison in the United States. With me today are two volunteers, Nicholas Leete and Bryan Davis.

Bryan Davis is a graduate from UW-Madison's School of Human Ecology with a degree in nonprofit management. He first became involved with LGBT Books to Prisoners as a volunteer in 2016 and eventually joined the board of directors. He also worked in the non-profit sector in fundraising, development, and communications for an organization serving children who experience neglect and teens in the foster care system. He currently serves on the Social Justice Center's board of directors located off of Willy Street which manages the building's operations and programming which includes renting space to numerous nonprofits like LGBT Books to Prisoners.

Nicholas Leete has been a volunteer with LGBT Books to Prisoners since 2016, and has been a volunteer organizer with the group for the last few years. Additionally, Nicholas is a WORT volunteer and a worker at Rooted, a local food sovereignty non-profit.

A Room of One's Own is a local, independent feminist bookstore, in Madison since 1975, currently on Atwood Avenue. They serve as the official bookseller for all books sent out by LGBT Books to Prisoners and also sponsor us through book donations and publicity.

Mira Braneck is the receiving manager and books to prisoners programs coordinator at A Room of One's Own.

Additional resources:

10/16/24 WORT interview with Tone's Madison's editor in chief Scott Gordon on DOC's updated donation policies

10/14/24 TONE article, "Wisconsin prison officials furtively changed a library book donation policy while dodging questions" by Scott Gordon

9/25/24 TONE article, "Wisconsin escalates its long tradition of prison book-banning" by Scott Gordon and Dan Fitch

NB: Since airing, we discovered an inaccuracy in our conversation. Michigan state prisons allow publications purchased from seven internet vendors as well as direct from book publishers. You can read more about this here.

Copyright free photo courtesy of Freepik.