Enhancing Prisoner Wellbeing Through Library Support

Exploring the role of libraries in supporting prisoner wellbeing, Dr. Jane Garner from Charles Sturt University discusses the benefits of escapism, passage of time, building community, and self-responsibility through libraries, reading, and storytelling. Voices of prisoners highlight how libraries provide an escape, create a sense of freedom, and facilitate a break from the prison environment.

• Prisoner wellbeing
• Library support
• Reading benefits
• Community building
• Escapism

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1. How libraries support prisoner wellbeing Dr Jane Garner 1 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

2. What I will talk about Libraries versus reading Escapism Passage of time Building a sense of community Responsibility for self Summarise What libraries can do What reading can do What stories can do Voices of prisoners 2 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

3. Libraries or Reading 3 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F. Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

4. Escapism Escaping to the library A different world Even though we're all prisoners, it seems to be away from like, the prison proper. And you don't seem to have to be called a prisoner in it. It's almost like freedom. I'm in there and it's like I'm not in prison. I enjoy it because it's quiet, and I step into a different world. 4 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

5. Escapism Escaping into books Immersion in worlds outside the jail You can go anywhere in the world. You open up a book and there you go. You just get lost in a book. You just open it up and you're miles away. You just open your book and you're there. It just sort of shuts everything else down, so I love it. Get your mind out of the whole place. 5 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

6. Passage of time Reading is important to me especially because it passes time, especially in here, it passes time. Because our minds go tick, tick, tick, tick, [it] stops us from thinking and it gets you involved in the story and forget about everything else. If you can fill your time with a bit of reading, it just passes so much quicker. 6 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

7. Building a sense of community Library as a place to gather: We've got guys that come up here that don't borrow books all that often but often people just come in they'll just join in the conversation There s a social atmosphere to it which I think helps a little bit I come up here for a bit of intelligent conversation sometimes. 7 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

8. Building a sense of community Connection to others inside the prison: Inside, it definitely helps because I know I'll read a book and then I'll talk to a girl about it and then she'll read it too and we can talk about it and swap books over so it definitely connects some of us in the wing Well, just because you start talking to people. You get into a book. There's 20 people in my unit who read, so if you get a good book, you just swap it and you talk about it. 8 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

9. Building a sense of community Connection to others outside the prison: what me and my partner are doing now, I m going to pick a book from up here, and she s gonna go buy it, and each night, like we are going to read like four chapters each and talk about it. I talk to my mum about the books that I am reading You can get recorded reading a book, and send it out. Bedtime stories, for your kids, so it, you know, that s going to be pretty cool. 9 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

10. Responsibility for self Autonomy It s the choice whether you want to use it or not. You can choose what you want to spend your time on Something I can do when I want. Not something I'm getting told I have to do 10 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

11. Responsibility for self Mental Health It keeps me sane by being able to read because otherwise, you'd be sitting there staring at the wall going nuts. I can sit down and read a book without stress or worry or aggravation, it's just very comforting. It stops me from overthinking things. I just sit down and read a book for a while. It helps me sleep. I've got really bad anxiety so if I just read a story, it takes my mind off my own personal stuff and manage to get to sleep eventually. 11 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

12. Responsibility for self Behaviour management I believe it s really important because it takes them out of here. It saves rioting and carrying on. you feel better than what you do feel if you're sitting in the unit staring at the walls and doing nothing. I prefer to do that (reading) than get into mischief . If I didn't have books, I'd be bored. I'd be out probably selling drugs then. 12 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

13. What libraries can do Provide places to gather with like-minded people Allow people to make choices Provide places to run events such as: Author talks Reading aloud Literacy learning Family events Book clubs 13 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

14. What reading can do Reading will: Fill in time Relieve boredom Work as a distraction Give people something to talk about Be an activity that can be shared with family Educate and inform 14 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

15. What stories can do Stories can: Inspire Educate Build empathy Entertain Make you think 15 Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.

16. Questions? Charles Sturt University - TEQSA Provider Identification: PRV12018 (Australian University). CRICOS Provider: 00005F.